Swiss national faces prison time for online hate speech against Hindu customs

The tranquil atmosphere and lush greenery of Bali encourage self-reflection and relaxation. However, the tourist hotspot is about to become uncomfortable for a Swiss man, who has been jailed for insulting a Hindu religious day.

Denpasar, Indonesia - Swiss authorities said Friday they were providing consular support to a national sentenced to one year in prison in Indonesia for insulting a Hindu religious day while he was on holiday in Bali.

Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, was sentenced on Thursday after being found guilty of crimes under an Indonesian law against online hate speech, I Wayan Suarta, a spokesman for the court in Denpasar, told AFP.

Zgraggen was arrested in March after he was reported to police over an Instagram post in which he used expletives while denigrating "Nyepi", the Hindu Day of Silence that marks the Balinese New Year.

On that day each year, the Hindu-majority island largely comes to a standstill, with work, travel, public entertainment and even electricity use discouraged for locals and tourists alike.

Zgraggen's crime was punishable by up to five years' imprisonment under the law.

But the court took into account his young age and good behaviour in court as mitigating factors.

In response to a query from AFP, the Swiss foreign ministry in Bern said it was aware of the case but could not provide further information for privacy reasons.

"The Swiss Embassy in Jakarta is in contact with the competent authorities and is providing support to the person concerned within the framework of consular protection," it said in a statement.

The ministry said consular services provided to Swiss citizens imprisoned abroad included informing them of "the possibility of a transfer to Switzerland" and verifying that they were kept in dignified conditions.

"In its general information for travellers, the FDFA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs) emphasises in particular the need to respect local laws as well as religious and cultural customs," the statement added.

Bali attracts millions of foreign visitors each year but has seen several recent high-profile cases of misbehaving tourists.

In March, authorities on the island arrested two French nationals and an Italian for allegedly producing and distributing pornography, which is forbidden in the Muslim-majority country.

Last month, authorities barred two Dutch citizens from ever returning to the country for their role in allegedly organising a running event exclusively for foreigners.