As per reports, Luzian made a social media post disrespecting the Nyepi or ‘Day of Silence’, which is the Balinese Hindu New Year. He also deliberately violated the curfew observed by locals on the day. He did so despite being informed by the staff of the hotel he was staying in about the local restrictions. This year, Nyepi was observed on 19th March and Luzian was arrested in the same month after his derogatory acts sparked widespread outrage.
During his trial, Luzian apologised before the court and said that he made the video out of frustration because he was hungry and could not find food during the entire day. He further told the court that he did not understand the local rules regarding the restrictions, and regretted his actions. He said that he apologised to the Balinese people for disrespecting their religious traditions. “I deeply regret what I did. I apologise to the Balinese people,” Luzian reportedly said.
However, presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima, unconvinced by Luzian’s apology, said that he had hurt religious feeling the Balinese people and offended them. “The defendant must be held accountable for his actions,” the judge reportedly remarked.
Luzian Andrin Zgraggen has already spent five months in pre-trial detention. The period spent by him in jail will be deducted from his one-year jail term. Meanwhile, Swiss authorities are providing consular access to him.
What was the case?
Nyepi is an annual holiday in Indonesia and is observed as period of complete quietness, fasting, and self-reflection. The island of Bali celebrates the day with complete shutdown of activities across the island, and turning off the lights. A curfew-like situation prevails on the island for the entire 24-hour period. The restrictions relating to Nyepi apply to everyone on the island irrespective of religion, including tourists. Locals store groceries in advance ahead of the day, so that they do not need to step out on the holiday.
However, in a complete disregard for the local Hindu tradition, Luzian openly disrepencted the Hindu tradition and posted multiple clips on Instagram flouting the local rules. He posted a highly offensive message on Instagram about the festival, which read as, “Fuck Nyepi and fuck your rules too”.
He also filmed himself walking to an empty beach describing the scene as “crazy” and posted the clip on Instagram. “I made it to the beach, they didn’t catch me, it is completely dark, there is nobody out here, this s**t is crazy,” he remarked in the clip.
Even after Luzian was arrested by the Balinese authorities, he showed no remorse for his acts and went on to mock the local rules.
Local senator confronted the Swiss tourist
Luzian was confronted by a local senator, Niluh Djelantik, for his acts and remorseless attitude. The senator posted a video of the interaction on social media. In the video the senator can be heard telling him that she would make sure that he is barred an entry into Bali.
“Today you insulted Hindus,” senator Djelantik told him, to which he casually replied that he still “doesn’t like the rule that you can’t go outside.” The senator reminded him that Bali was not his home and that he need not visit it. “So don’t come. Bali is not your home; it is a place that gives you a room in your hotel,” she said.
“That you pay by the night. But Bali is not your home. If you say you think this is unfair, I will make sure you never come to this country ever again. I will make sure of that,” she warned Luzian. “You will never accept that we have this one day, in a year, that we need to be quiet,” she added.
Senator Djelantik warned all foreign tourists that if they violated this rule, they will not only be deported but also be blacklisted and barred from entering Bali.
Later on, the senator reportedly posted photos of the tourist in handcuffs. Demanding criminal proceedings against him, the senator called for his deportation and a lifetime ban on entering the country. Explaining her stern response to the case, Djelantik said that she did not act out of obligation but to uphold the dignity of Indonesia and it its people.
Tourists faced action in the past for disrespecting Bali’s Hindu culture
Bali authorities have cracked down heavily on tourists who disrespect the island’s Hindu culture. In 2023, the Balinese authorities took legal action against three Russian tourists after they disrespected a local temple. The three tourists were arrested by the Balinese authorities for dancing and posing disrespectfully at the Pengubengan Temple in Besakih.
Bali immigration data for the first four months of 2023 reportedly showed that the island administration deported 96 foreigners during the period for various violations, including disrespect to the local Hindu culture.
In another similar incident, a Russian influencer and her husband faced deportation from Bali in 2022 after they staged a nude photo shoot on a sacred tree in Tabanan district. A month before that a Canadian actor also faced a similar action by the Balinese authorities after a video showing him naked at holy Mount Batur, doing the Haka, went viral.
Bali is the only Hindu-majority island in the Muslim-dominated country of Indonesia. The island has preserved its Hindu culture and traditions and is fiercely protective of them. Bali island is popular tourist destination and its welcome people from across the world. But, at the same time, it values its Hindu culture deeply and does not tolerate any disrespect to them.
