Russian Tourist Deported from Bali over Photo on Sacred Mountain

(CNN) - A Russian tourist has been deported from Bali after a semi-nude photo he took on top of a sacred mountain went viral and sparked heated public debate about misbehaving tourists on the island.

The 24-year-old Russian national, identified by Balinese immigration authorities as Yuri Chilikin, was deported on Tuesday, April 4 to Moscow via Dubai, officials said in a statement issued Wednesday.

Photos released by the immigration authorities showed Chilikin, wearing a backpack and holding a cup of coffee while being escorted by officers at the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar during the deportation process.

“Please enjoy Bali by adhering to regulations. If you commit a violation, we will not hesitate to take firm action,” spokesperson Barron Ichsan said.

Chilikin has also been barred from entering Indonesia for at least six months over the incident, he added. Chilikin is one of a handful of Russian tourists who have made headlines for inappropriate behavior on the popular Indonesian holiday island.

He had posted a photo of himself on Instagram naked from the waist down at Mount Agung, Bali’s highest peak and a sacred religious site. Locals – who are predominantly Hindu – believe that the mountain represents the god Shiva and a permit is required for anyone who wishes to hike it.

Following backlash, Chilikin removed the offending photo from his page, replacing it with an apology video. “There is no excuse for my actions. The only thing that led to what happened was my personal ignorance,” he said. “Agung is a sacred symbol for the Balinese. After studying the culture and religion of Bali, I realized my mistake.”

He also detailed an “offering ceremony to the Gods” which took place on April 2. “I participated as well as I could, I kept my word,” he said, sharing that he had spent money on the ceremony.

“Now I am calm and clear before me. I did everything to correct this situation – and for the rest (I was) showed a good lesson on how not to behave,” Chilikin said, adding that he was “ready” for any outcome from the authorities.

“Now I am waiting to be deported and I hope that I will be able to fly to Thailand for my mother’s birthday,” he added.