Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, was found guilty of violating Indonesia’s new criminal code by posting social media messages about the Day of Silence, when people are required to stay home and are urged to remain silent and meditate.
The Denpasar District Court determined that he posted the messages even after staff at the villa where he was staying informed him of the restrictions.
Swiss tourist Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, back to camera, right, who is accused of insulting the Balinese Hinduism's sacred Day of Silence in social media posts sits on the defendant's chair with an interpreter during his sentencing hearing at the district court in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, Aug. 20, 2026. Photo by AP
"What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage," said presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima. "The defendant must be held accountable for his actions."
The Day of Silence, locally known as Nyepi, usually falls in March. For a day, the island's world-famous beaches and streets are empty of people except for special patrols meant to ensure silence is observed. The airport in Bali, a predominantly Hindu island in Muslim-majority Indonesia, shuts down and the internet is switched off. The restrictions apply to everyone regardless of religion or nationality.
