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View all search resultsBali Police arrest Swiss man for allegedly insulting Hindu holiday
Swiss national Luzian Andrin Zgraggen risks up to five years in prison on hate speech charges, the Bali Police said after the man was reported over an expletive-ridden social media post.
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Muslim devotees listen to a preacher's sermon after the Idul Fitri prayers at city hall in Surabaya on March 21, 2026, in front of an installation on Balinese culture depicting the Nyepi holiday that is primarily observed on the island. A Swiss man faces hate speech charges in Bali over a social media post allegedly denigrating the Hindu celebration. (AFP/Juni Kriswanto)
T
he Bali Police have arrested a Swiss man accused of using expletives to denigrate a Hindu religious holiday observed on the tourist island of Bali, a police official said.
Luzian Andrin Zgraggen risks up to five years in prison on hate speech charges, Bali Police spokesman Ariasandy said in a statement late Sunday that did not specify the suspect's age.
Bali's Day of Silence or "Nyepi," was celebrated on Thursday and requires locals and tourists on the Hindu-majority island to stay at home for 24 hours for self-reflection.
No work, travel, entertainment and even electricity use is discouraged.
Zgraggen was arrested on Saturday after he was reported to police over an Instagram post, said Ariasandy.
In the post, he repeatedly used the "f" word to refer to the holiday.
The tourist stands accused of spreading hate speech online, an offense which under the nation's new Criminal Code can land him as many as five years in prison.
Ariasandy said police would seize Zgraggen's iPhone and question witnesses.
Bali attracts millions of foreign visitors each year but has seen recent high-profile cases of misbehaving tourists.
Last week, authorities on the resort island arrested two French nationals and an Italian on accusations of producing and distributing pornography, which is forbidden in the Muslim-majority country, which officially recognizes six religions as well as indigenous beliefs.
