Russian tourist expelled from Bali for naked photo on sacred volcano

BET À DAY

A Russian tourist has been expelled from Bali after posting a photo showing him half-naked on a mountain considered sacred on the Indonesian island, authorities said on Wednesday.

The governor of the tourist island has recently pledged to crack down on violations of the law by tourists and acts considered to undermine the traditions of the mainly Hindu island.

The 24-year-old Russian, who goes by the name 'Yuri Chilikin' on social media, posed naked from the waist down on Mount Agung, a volcano that is the island's highest peak and considered by Hindus to be the abode of the gods.

He was deported to Moscow on Tuesday via Dubai and banned from entering Indonesia for six months, Bali's immigration office said in a statement. press release Wednesday.

“Please enjoy the beauties of nature (…) in Bali by respecting the rules”, recommended Barron Ichsan, an immigration official quoted in the text. “If you commit a violation, we will not hesitate to take firm action.”

The young Russian was detained and questioned last month when the photo emerged on social media. He apologized and participated in a purification ritual in front of the sacred mountain.

Yuri Chilikin posted a photo on his Instagram account on Monday stressing that he had “done everything to correct the situation” , and that it was “a good lesson in how not to behave”.

Complaints about tourist behavior have increased in recent weeks in Bali, with Balinese in particular pointing out Russians as the most frequent troublemakers.

Bali Governor Wayan Koster formally requested the government last month to remove Russia and Ukraine from the list of countries whose nationals can benefit visas on arrival.

Last year, a Canadian actor was expelled from Bali after he released a video showing him dancing the haka, a traditional New Zealand dance, naked on Mount Batur in Bali.