A German tourist who was arrested after stripping naked and gatecrashing a sacred performance at a temple in Bali has been sent for mental health treatment by Indonesian officials, as per a report in South China Morning Post. Twenty-eight-year-old Darja Tuschinski was also charged with failing to pay hotel bills while on vacation on the island.
This comes as the country is implementing stricter rules for tourists who are seen misbehaving. The South Asian country has seen an increase in foreign visitors being deported for engaging in actions or making gestures that, according to the authorities, offend the religious sensibilities of Balinese Hindus, as per the outlet.
Police spokesman Stefanus Satake Bayu told SCMP, "The foreigner is depressed because she has no money to finance her stay in Bali."
As per various photos and videos circulating on social media, the woman was seen naked at the Saraswati Hindu temple in Ubud, near the dancers. The 28-year-old attempted to enter the inner sanctuary of the shrine until a security guard barred her from doing so.
As per the outlet, she allegedly got into an argument with the staff members and then forcefully entered the outdoor arena, where she undressed and stood close to the dancers.
The Indonesian police added that Ms Tuschinski also roamed naked around the guest areas of the resort where she was staying. However, they decided not to press charges against her. The temple also organised a ritual to "purify" the sacred space. After declining to board a flight back to Germany, Ms Tuschinski was eventually transported to a mental hospital in Bangli town.
In December, Indonesia's parliament approved legislation that would outlaw sex outside marriage. According to AFP, sex outside of marriage will be punished with one year in prison while unmarried people living together could face six months in jail. However, tourists visiting Indonesia will not be charged under the new law which will criminalise sex outside marriage, officials said.
Those who "visit or live in Bali would not need to worry with regard to the entry into force of the Indonesian Criminal Code," Bali's Governor Wayan Koster said. Bali's government would ensure "there will be no checking on marital status upon check-in at any tourism accommodation, such as hotels, villas, apartments, guest houses, lodges and spas," he added.
