20 of the strangest bans in the world<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every country is different, and every country’s laws are different. Sometimes these laws border on the seriously ridiculous, and other times they point to important cultural values that might be different than your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We’ve compiled a list of weird bans around the world you may not believe exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1 Burundi: Jogging<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n During the confrontation between ethnic groups in the country, which subsided only in the last decade, the people of Burundi went for runs in large groups. On the one hand, in order to release the accumulated energy, on the other, in order to repulse dangerous armed groups together in case of emergency. In March 2014, President Pierre Nkurunziza banned jogging, saying it was a way for some people to camouflage their subversive activities. A lot of opposition members got into prison for group runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Turkmenistan: performance to the phonogram<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This ban extends at least to major cultural events and television appearances. In 2005, then-president Saparmurat Niyazov banned the phonogram in order to “preserve true culture”. And four years earlier, he banned opera and ballet and abolished the Magtymguly Turkmen Opera and Ballet Theatre. It should be noted that his follower Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is no less weird .<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. China: reincarnation without government permission<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A law on \u201cMeasures to Regulate the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism,\u201d which came into force in China in 2007, prohibits Buddhist monks from reincarnating and religious groups from recognizing the soul of a deceased Buddha in its new incarnation without prior government approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Romania: Scrabble<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the 1980s, Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu banned the game of Scrabble because he considered it to be “subversive” and “malicious”. Fortunately, now the ban has been lifted, there is a Scrabble Federation in the country that holds competitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. USA: Kinder Surprise Chocolate Eggs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Kinder Surprise” is popular in many countries of the world, but in the USA these chocolate eggs with a toy inside are prohibited by law. Why? For fear that an inedible toy might be swallowed. There are even cases of detention of people who returned to the United States from Canada with a forbidden treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Iran: to collect hair in a ponytail<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n for men The Iranian government released a list of approved men’s hairstyles in 2010. It bans ponytails, mullets (a type of hairstyle in which the hair is cut short at the front and sides, and left long at the back), and spiked hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Australia: Porn featuring women with too small breasts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Apparently, some Australian politicians believed that pornography of women with small breasts would encourage pedophilia. The Australian Attestation Board began to refuse to classify such materials in order to avoid spreading this problem. \u0422<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8.<\/strong> Singapore: Chewing gum<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This wording is not entirely accurate. Singapore prohibits the import and sale of chewing gum, which is why local residents simply do not have the opportunity to purchase it. For those who are required to chew gum for medical reasons, an exception is made. The Prohibition Act went into effect in 1992 because a man managed to cause a traffic collapse with chewing gum (they say he stuck it to the train doors, they couldn’t close, and a passenger fell onto the tracks).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. Philippines: Claire Danes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Actress Claire Danes is “banned” not throughout the Philippines, but only in Manila. After filming in this country, she gave a series of interviews in which she spoke more than critically about the living conditions in the capital. Following this, the city council banned all films featuring Danes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. France: Red Bull<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Today this information is no longer relevant. But until 2008, the energy drink was banned in the country due to concerns about the presence of the chemical taurine in the drink. Prior to this, the company was selling a slightly different version of their product, without taurine<\/p>\n\n\n\n 11. China: time travel<\/strong> 12. South Africa: photos of the presidential house<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2012, the South African government announced a ban on photographing and distributing images of President Jacob Zuma’s home, even to respected publications. Of course, many newspapers ignored the ban, and photos of the house were published.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 13. North Korea: blue jeans Not black jeans<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n no. It’s the blue ones. Presumably, this color is associated with the United States, so North Korea decided that it was wiser to immediately impose a ban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 14. Monaco: casino<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n for citizens of Monaco This is true. Despite the fact that for many people in the world the Monte Carlo casino is a symbol of Monaco, its citizens are forbidden to enter the institution and play in it. Apparently, the ban has been going on since 1860, the year the casino was opened. Then Prince Charles III of Monaco decided that the inhabitants could lose all their savings there. Foreigners, meanwhile, were allowed to lose as much as they wanted, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 15. UK: Dying in the Houses of Parliament<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is not clear how the violator can be punished, but the fact remains: it is forbidden to die in the Houses of Parliament, because anyone who does this is buried at the expense of the state. Of course, this is unprofitable for the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 16. Germany: find yourself on the autobahn without gasoline<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n And if you still run out of it, don\u2019t even think about walking to the nearest gas station – walking on the autobahn is also prohibited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 17. Philippines: Sing Frank Sinatra’s My Way<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This ban works de facto, there is no official law. But in many karaoke bars, the song is banned, and regulars refuse to sing it, although technically nothing prevents this. Why? The song has been the cause of at least six murders, which some believe were due to controversy over the tune’s “arrogant” tone. The phenomenon even got a special name: “My Way Murders”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 18. Thailand: Anna and the King movie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This 1999 film starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-fat vexed Thai censors, who claimed that the movie defames the royal family and distorts the history of the country. Under the 1930 law, a film that shows disrespect for the monarchy of Thailand is subject to a ban, and the authors can even end up in jail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 19. South Korea: online games after midnight <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2011, a law called the “shutdown law” restricted children under the age of 16 from playing computer games from midnight to six in the morning. Recently, the authorities decided to be lenient and lift the ban in response to requests from parents. Initially, the law was intended to fight gambling addiction among Koreans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 20. Japan: dancing in clubs<\/strong>
It’s actually about movies and TV shows about time travel. The Chinese authorities decided that the artistic depiction of time travel was directly related to the frivolous interpretation of “serious historical events”, and banned it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It may seem strange that in a country where there are cities like Tokyo, famous for its nightlife, there is a ban on dancing in clubs. But it’s true. In 1948, a law on the protection of public morals was passed, according to which dancing is allowed only in specially designated public places and only until midnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n