Overview
- Police in Bali arrested and charged a Swiss visitor after Friday’s discovery of an Instagram post that mocked the Day of Silence, an offense that can bring up to five years in prison.
- Investigators have seized the suspect’s phone and are taking witness statements as they build the case under Indonesia’s online hate content law.
- Nyepi, the Day of Silence that marks the Balinese New Year, shuts the island for 24 hours as people stay indoors, roads empty, and Ngurah Rai International Airport closes to all flights.
- Some outlets reported that a U.S. tourist was detained for walking on a main road during the shutdown, a claim that is less directly backed by official accounts than the Instagram case.
- Local officials say they are stepping up actions against visitors who overstay visas, work illegally, or disrespect religious practices, with deportations and criminal charges used more often.