DENPASAR, Bali — Prosecutors have asked the Denpasar District Court to sentence a Swiss national to 15 months in prison for allegedly insulting Bali’s sacred Nyepi Day in a viral Instagram Story that sparked widespread public outrage earlier this year.

The case stems from an incident that first drew national attention during Nyepi in March 2026. The Bali Times previously reported on the charges in Swiss Tourist Faces Charges in Bali After Insulting Nyepi on Instagram.

During Monday’s hearing, prosecutors argued that Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, had violated Article 301(1) of Indonesia’s Criminal Code (Law No. 1 of 2023) by distributing electronic content containing material deemed to insult a religious observance.

They requested that the panel of judges sentence Zgraggen to one year and three months in prison, with the time he has already spent in detention deducted from the final sentence.

Prosecutors also asked the court to keep the defendant in custody until the case is concluded and requested that the smartphone allegedly used to upload the Instagram Story be confiscated by the state.

Nyepi, Bali’s annual Hindu Day of Silence marking the Balinese New Year, is one of the island’s most sacred religious observances. For 24 hours, residents and visitors are expected to remain indoors while airports, roads, businesses, and entertainment activities shut down as part of a tradition centered on silence, self-reflection, and spiritual renewal.

According to prosecutors, Zgraggen posted an Instagram Story during Nyepi containing an expletive directed at the holiday and its rules. Screenshots and recordings of the post quickly spread across social media, triggering widespread criticism from Balinese residents.

The incident also drew the attention of Ni Luh Djelantik, a member of Indonesia’s Regional Representative Council (DPD RI), who reposted a screenshot of the post after receiving numerous complaints from the public. She also called on Bali Police, Immigration authorities, and other agencies to investigate the incident.

According to the indictment, Zgraggen later contacted Djelantik to apologize and requested protection after receiving a wave of online backlash. Djelantik subsequently invited him to meet at her residence in Tumbak Bayuh, Mengwi.

When he arrived, officers from the Bali Police Cyber Directorate took him in for questioning. The following day, Djelantik formally reported the case to Bali Police, leading investigators to name Zgraggen as a suspect and bring the case to court.

The trial is scheduled to continue with the defendant’s closing defence (pleidoi) before the panel of judges delivers its verdict at a later hearing.