Russian influencer cops six month Bali ban for posing nude on sacred site

Russian influencer cops six month Bali ban for posing nude on sacred site

A Russian yogi influencer and her husband will be deported from Bali and cop a six-month ban from Indonesia after she was caught posing naked on a sacred tree.

In a now deleted post, Alina Fazleeva posed naked on a centuries-old tree located behind Babakan Temple in Bali’s Tabanan district.

The tree, which is known as Kayu Putih, is believed to be 700 years old.

Fazleeva’s post went viral after it was shared by prominent Balinese fashion designer and politician Niluh Djelantik, who encouraged her followers to report Fazleeva to immigration authorities and police.

Djelantik also posted a series of screenshots of a conversation with the Russian influencer, after Fazleeva sent her a message in Indonesian apologising for her post.

“Sorry and I really didn’t know this place was holy. I love Bali very much and that is the first time this has happened to me. I’m very sorry!” Fazleeva said in one of the messages.

Djelantik responded saying she found it “very ignorant” of Fazleeva to use Bali to promote her activities.

Djelantik later posted calling for Fazleeva to pay the cost of the cleaning ceremony that would need to be carried out by locals.

She also referred to Fazleeva as a “trashy tourist” and told her to “go home”.

Fazleeva, who has 28.5 thousand followers on Instagram, has since made her account private, but ABC News reported she posted another image of herself offering prayers at the base of the tree while fully clothed.

“I apologise to all the people of Bali and Indonesia. I regret what I have done,” she said in a post written in Indonesian.

“I am so ashamed, I did not mean to offend you in any way, I had no knowledge of this place.

“I just prayed under the tree and went straight to the police station to explain this and apologise.”

Bali’s Governor, Wayan Koster, personally ordered her deportation and said it was far more important to “preserve the culture and respect the dignity of Bali” than tolerate behaviour like this for tourist dollars.

Researcher of indigenous religion at the State Hindu University of Denpasar in Bali, Ravinjay Kuckreja, told ABC News that for Balinese Hindus “sources of water like springs, statues, trees and volcanoes are amongst the many everyday objects that are sanctified and regarded as sacred”.

Kuckreja said having one’s naked body against a holy tree was considered sacrilege.

“The tree is completely sacred … it is considered a manifestation of God,” he said.


Featured image: Instagram/@niluhdjelantik

Latest News

  • Products

Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun

If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Tourism

TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

  • Aviation

Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

  • Hotels

Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

  • Luxury
  • News

Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]