Denpasar, March 23 — Indonesian authorities have arrested a Swiss man accused of insulting a Hindu religious holiday on the resort island of Bali.
According to AFP, Luzian Andrin Zgraggen faces up to five years in prison under Indonesia’s hate speech laws.
Bali police spokesman Ariasandy said the man was detained on Saturday after being reported over an Instagram post.
In the post, he allegedly used repeated expletives to refer to Nyepi, Bali’s Day of Silence.
The annual observance, marked last Thursday, requires residents and tourists to remain indoors for 24 hours for self-reflection, with restrictions on work, travel and entertainment.
Police said the suspect is being investigated for spreading hate speech online, an offence under Indonesia’s criminal code that carries a maximum five-year jail term.
Authorities are expected to seize his mobile phone and question witnesses as part of the investigation.
The case comes amid a series of incidents involving foreign tourists in Bali, including recent arrests of three Europeans over alleged pornography-related offences. — AFP
