July 15, 2026, 11:29July 15, 2026, 11:29
At the end of March a Swiss man was in Bali arrested. He left the house during the traditional Nyepi festival, the “Day of Silence” in Bali – this violates the island’s traditions. He further insulted the celebrations several times. “Fuck Nyepi and fuck your rules too,” he wrote on Instagram. He is also said to have posted a video in which he shouted “Fuck Nyepi”.
Celebrations in Bali the day before Nyepi Festival.Image: keystone
The justice system in Bali now wants to punish these insults. How “The Bali Times” writes, the public prosecutor’s office is demanding a sentence of 15 months in prison. The time the accused had to serve in custody would be deducted.
The public prosecutor’s office also demands that the Swiss remain in custody until the proceedings are completed. She also wants the smartphone used to publish the Instagram story to be confiscated.
The Nyepi Festival in March is the traditional “Day of Silence” in Bali. On this day, residents and tourists of the predominantly Hindu island must stay at home for 24 hours. Work, travel, entertainment and even electricity consumption are all discouraged.
Bali is the only island in Indonesia – the largest Muslim country in the world – with a Hindu majority. Faith is correspondingly deeply anchored in everyday life. On the “Day of Silence” local security forces check compliance with the regulations. Visitors are expected to behave calmly and respectfully – but tourists are usually allowed to move freely in their hotel complexes. (dab, with material from Keystone-SDA)