A 26-year-old Swiss tourist with initials LAZ has been sentenced to one year in prison by the panel of judges at the Denpasar District Court on Thursday, the 20th of August, after leaving his villa during Nyepi, the Hindu Day of Silence, back in March and posting a video of himself on Instagram.
According to the court ruling, LAZ had been warned by staff at the villa where he was staying that he was required to remain indoors. Despite the warning, he went outside in the Legian area and filmed himself on the street. Feeling hungry and unable to find food, LAZ vented his frustration in a post on the Instagram account @luzzysun.
In the video, which lasts approximately 22 seconds, LAZ is seen walking in the dark, accompanied by a provocative caption.
“F— Nyepi Day and f— your rules too,” read part of the post.
The video subsequently sparked a strong backlash from the Balinese public. Numerous Instagram accounts screen-recorded the post and reposted it, causing it to go viral. Authorities arrested the man after the footage attracted attention.
Presiding Judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima declared LAZ legally and convincingly guilty of the criminal offence of broadcasting or displaying content via information technology with the intent of making it known to the public. This act falls under the provisions of Article 301, Paragraph (1) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code, in accordance with the prosecution’s charges.
“Declaring the defendant legally and convincingly guilty of committing the criminal offence as charged by the public prosecutor,” the judge stated during the hearing.
During the trial, LAZ reportedly said he had gone outside because he was hungry and had not fully understood how seriously the rules of Nyepi were to be observed. He also expressed regret and apologised to the Balinese people for his actions.
In its deliberations, the panel of judges cited several aggravating factors regarding the defendant. LAZ’s actions were deemed to have caused public unease and incited conflict within the community. Meanwhile, mitigating factors included the defendant having no prior criminal record, maintaining a respectful demeanour throughout the trial, admitting the offence, expressing remorse, offering an apology, and pledging not to repeat the actions.
The panel also took into account LAZ’s status as a foreign national visiting Bali for the first time, noting that his arrival coincided with the observance of Nyepi.
Indonesia has strict laws concerning insults against religion and religious practices, and social media posts that are considered offensive can result in criminal proceedings.