Instagram influencer may face jail term for posing naked in front of sacred tree in Bali

A Russian Instagram influencer could face a six-year prison sentence for posting pictures of a nude photoshoot she did beneath a sacred tree in Indonesia's Bali. Instagram model and yoga influencer Alina Fazleeva posed naked near the 700-year-old tree which locals consider holy. Her post of the photoshoot on Instagram received immense backlash from local residents, and following a complaint by a local businessman, Fazleeva could be imprisoned on charges of pornography.      

Due to Indonesia’s strict Information and Electronic Transactions Act (ITE), Alina could face a £55,000 fine or up to six years in jail for ‘spreading pornography’, as per Daily Mail.

The yoga influencer said that she "heard her ancestors' voices" while she was hugging the bark and being "part of an endless chain".

However, the police declined to charge her with a crime and turned her case over to immigration officers who took a view of someone having branded her as a 'trashy tourist'. 

'Made a big mistake', Alina Apologizes 

The sacred tree known as Kayu Putih can be found at the Babakan Temple in Tabanan and dates back to 700 years ago. As police investigated the incident, Fazleeva went to the station 'to cooperate', after first returning to the tree to 'ask its forgiveness' as per Daily Mail. "Both of them are proven to have carried out activities that endanger public order and do not respect the local norms", Bali immigration chief Jamaruli Manihuruk told the news outlet.

Meanwhile, the influencer shared a new video, where she was seen fully clothed and praying at the base of the sacred tree accompanied by the message, “I apologize to all Balinese and Indonesian people, I regret my actions."

She added, "I'm so embarrassed, I didn't mean to offend you in any way, absolutely no knowledge of this place. I just prayed under a tree and went straight to the police station to explain this incident and apologize".

Moreover, the caretaker of the temple, Kurnya Wijaya, said that a cleansing ceremony would take place to 'clear the tree of the obscenities' and urged Alina Fazleeva to shoulder the expenses.

(Image: Shutterstock)