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View all search resultsSwiss man gets year in prison for Nyepi hate speech
The court handed down a slightly shorter sentence than the prosecution had demanded, noting some mitigating factors including the defendant's age and expression of remorse throughout the trial.
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Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, covers his face on Aug. 20, 2026, as he departs his verdict and sentence hearing at the Denpasar District Court in the Bali capital, which found the Swiss national guilty of spreading hate speech over Nyepi (Day of Silence) in March. (JP/Ni Komang Erviani)
T
he Denpasar District Court sentenced on Thursday a Swiss national to one year in prison for spreading hate speech over Nyepi (Day of Silence), a holiday unique to Balinese Hinduism.
“We hereby sentence the defendant Luzian Andrin Zgraggen to one year’s imprisonment,” presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima said during the hearing on Aug. 20, after finding Zgraggen, 26, guilty of broadcasting information containing religious desecration.
The judicial panel determined that the Swiss man had violated Article 301 of the 2023 Criminal Code on broadcasting, displaying, posting written material or images or playing recordings, including through information technology, containing acts constituting the criminal offense of religious desecration.
“The defendant’s act has caused public concern and may potentially trigger social unrest and cause conflict within the community,” judge Putra said as he read out the verdict.
The sentence is three months shorter than the prosecution’s demand of 15 months and took into consideration several mitigating factors.
Read also: Swiss national arrested for Nyepi hate speech
According to the judicial panel, Zgraggen has no previous criminal conviction, conducted himself respectfully during the trial, did not give a convoluted statement and admitted his action.
