The District Court determined that he posted the messages even though he was informed of the restrictions.
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A court in Bali, Indonesia has sentenced a Swiss tourist to one year in prison for insulting the Bali sacred Day of Silence.
The 26-year-old tourist was found guilty of violating Indonesia’s new criminal code by posting social media messages about the Hindu religious holiday observed on the tourist island. On this day 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 he was informed of the restrictions by staff at the villa where he was staying.
“What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage,” said presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima as reported by the Associated Press (AP). “The defendant must be held accountable for his actions.”
This year the Day of Silence or “Nyepi” fell in March. On this day the island’s beaches and streets are empty except for people responsible for ensuring that 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.
The Swiss man boasted in Instagram posts that he had defied restrictions that prohibit residents and visitors from leaving their homes or accommodations except for emergencies according to AP reports.
In video clips shared online, he smiled at the camera and described walking to a beach during the observance. In one, he called the tradition “crazy” and used an expletive.
The posts triggered condemnation from Balinese residents who considered them disrespectful. Authorities tracked him down following public complaints, and he was arrested at a popular tourist spot near Kuta Beach according to the AP.
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Swiss tourist faces charges in Bali for allegedly insulting religious holiday
During his trial, which began in June, the man told the court he had never intended to insult the Hindu holiday or the Balinese people. He said he made the posts while hungry and frustrated that he could not obtain food during the shutdown. He said he had not fully understood the extent of the restrictions.
“I deeply regret what I did, I apologise to the Balinese people,” he said in his defense plea.
While authorities have previously detained foreign and domestic tourists for venturing outside during Nyepi, those cases were generally resolved without prosecution.
