Russian couple expelled from Bali for nude photo on sacred tree

After the “click clack” of the photo, that of the suitcases. A Russian influencer and her spouse will be deported from the Indonesian island of Bali, Indonesian immigration officials announced on Friday (May 6). Alina Fazleeva, who has thousands of Instagram followers, posed nude on a 700-year-old banyan tree at a temple site in Tabanan district. The photo, taken by her husband Andrei Fazleev, was posted on social media and went viral, sparking outrage among local Hindus.

“It has been established that both have carried out activities that endanger public order and do not respect local standards”, Jamaruli Manihuruk, head of immigration services in Bali, told the press. The couple “will be sanctioned by being expelled”, he added. The two Russians will be banned from Indonesia for at least six months. They will also have to participate in a purification ceremony at the sacred site in accordance with local beliefs, he said.

Alina Fazleeva apologized on her Instagram account, acknowledging that she had committed “a big mistake”. “There are many sacred places in Bali and not all of them are marked as such, as was the case for me“, she added, emphasizing: “It is very important to treat these places and traditions with respect”.

Bali Governor Wayan Koster has warned that his administration will no longer tolerate tourists who are not respectful of the local culture, where the Hindu religion is predominant.