Kiwi woman faces deportation after violent Ramadan prayer outburst in Indonesia

She was allegedly angered by the group’s loud recitation of the Quran, which was being broadcast through a microphone for Ramadan about 11.30pm.

The unnamed woman is receiving assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Photo / Indoscopo

Muhammad Husni, the head of Gili Trawangan village, told reporters the woman allegedly scratched one person and threatened others with two machetes during the altercation.

“While residents were reciting the Quran inside the prayer room, the foreigner suddenly entered, angrily unplugging the residents’ microphones. Her disrespectful actions immediately angered the residents.

“Fortunately, our residents weren’t provoked and continued to explain. Although some were emotional, no one retaliated with physical violence.”

A New Zealand tourist cut the microphone cable of a mosque on Trawangan Island in Indonesia and threatened locals and police with a knife because she couldn’t sleep due to the sound of their Quran recitation.

“Quran study” is a communal practice there, carried out over… pic.twitter.com/DjjQH1FDUJ

— GPX (@GPX_Press) February 21, 2026

According to the South China Morning Post, the tourist’s visa had expired on January 30, and she is at risk of deportation following last week’s incident.

Although the woman initially refused to meet with immigration officials, she has now been taken to the immigration office while further inquiries into her travel status are undertaken.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson told the Herald, “We are providing consular assistance to a New Zealander in Indonesia.”

A largely Muslim island, most locals to Gili Trawangan practise Ramadan, a holiday that is running this year from February 17 to March 19.

Those practising their faith during this time are prohibited from breaking their fast until after sunset, at which time they mark the occasion with worship and service.

Head of West Nusa Tenggara police Inspector General Edy Murbowo said the incident reflects the tourist’s misunderstanding of Lombok’s religious and cultural customs.

“Residents must explain that there are traditions in our country that can run up to midnight, especially in Lombok, which is the island of a thousand mosques. These traditions must be understood by those who visit.

“The foreigner in question was unfamiliar with our customs and traditions, leading to her outburst. A meeting has been held to provide an understanding to the person concerned.”