Swiss National Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Insulting Nyepi in Bali

A Swiss national, Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Denpasar District Court for creating and uploading an insulting video about Bali's Nyepi holiday on Instagram. The court found Zgraggen guilty of broadcasting content via information technology with the intent for public dissemination, a violation of Indonesian law.

Presiding Judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima stated that Zgraggen was proven guilty of the charges. The sentence is lighter than the one year and three months sought by the prosecutor. Zgraggen accepted the verdict, while the prosecution is still considering its legal options.

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The defendant is proven legally and convincingly guilty of committing a criminal act as stated in the prosecutor's indictment.

During the sentencing, the court cited aggravating factors, including that Zgraggen's actions caused public unrest and social conflict. Mitigating factors included his lack of prior convictions, polite demeanor during the trial, admission of guilt, expression of remorse, and promise not to repeat the offense. The court also considered that Zgraggen, a first-time visitor to Bali, may not have understood the significance and strict observance of Nyepi, a day of silence and introspection.

The case began when Zgraggen, feeling hungry and unable to leave his hotel during Nyepi on March 19, 2026, became upset. Despite being informed about the restrictions, he expressed his frustration in a 22-second video posted on his Instagram account, @luzzysun. The video showed him walking in the dark.

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The defendant is a foreign national who was in Bali for the first time, coinciding with the implementation of Nyepi, so he did not understand what Nyepi is as a ritual that must be carried out and obeyed without exception.