Indonesia to deport Russian who held party

A Russian social media celebrity is being deported from Indonesia, officials said on Sunday, after he held a party at a luxury hotel on resort island of Bali attended by more than 50 people despite coronavirus restrictions.

party held on January 11 violated health protocols put in place to fight spread of virus, said Jamaruli Manihuruk, chief of Bali regional office for Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

Sergei Kosenko, who has more than 4.9 million followers on his Instagram account, arrived in Indonesia in October on a tourist visa.

Immigration officials in Bali decided to examine Kosenko's activities after he posted to social media a video of him driving a motorcycle with a female passenger on back off a pier into sea in December. stunt was condemned by many Indonesians as reckless and potentially hazardous to environment.

Manihuruk said immigration investigation found Kosenko took part in activities that violated his tourist visa, such as promoting companies and products.

After anuncement of his deportation, Kosenko told reporters at immigration office in Bali that he was sorry.

"I love Bali. I'm sorry and I apologise," Kosenko said.

deportation comes just days after Indonesia deported an American woman who had been living in Bali over her viral tweets that celebrated island as a low-cost, "queer-friendly" place for foreigners to live.

Her posts were considered by officials to have "disseminated information disturbing to public," which was basis for her deportation.

Indonesia has temporarily restricted foreigners from coming to country since January 1 to control spread of COVID-19, and public activities have been restricted on Java and Bali islands.

Bali regional office for Ministry of Law and Human Rights recorded 162 foreigners have been deported from Bali in 2020 and 2021.

Most of m are being deported for violating visit visa.