The 22 Strangest Things That Have Been Banned Around The World
What do you mean I can’t reincarnate without government permission?
posted on Oct. 20, 2014, at 4:50 p.m.
1. Burundi: Jogging
Getty Images/iStockphoto Dirima
During a period of ethnic strife in
the country that only ended within the last decade, citizens would go
jogging together in large groups as a way to get out their energy and
use one another as protection from dangerous militias. However, in March
2014, the country’s president, Pierre Nkurunziza, banned these jogs,
claiming that they are used as cover for people to plan subversive
activities — and, in fact, many opposition members have been jailed for
taking part in group jogs.
(Source: Quora)2. Turkmenistan: Lip-Synching
NBC / Via fallontonight.tumblr.com
Well, at least at large cultural events and on television programming. In 2005, then-President Saparmurat Niyazov banned lip-synching in order to preserve “true culture.” He had also banned opera and ballet, deeming them “unnecessary.”
(Source: Quora)3. China: Reincarnation Without Government Permission
Getty Images/Ingram Publishing Ingram Publishing
A 2007 law in China
on the “Management Measures for the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas in
Tibetan Buddhism” made it illegal for Buddhist monks to reincarnate
without prior government approval. Or, at least, for religious groups to
recognize a Buddha’s new “soul child” following the passing of the
previous Buddha without first getting government permission.
(Source: Quora)4. Romania: Scrabble
AFP / Getty Images THOMAS COEX
In the ’80s, Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu banned the game of Scrabble because it was “subversive” and “evil.” Luckily, the ban is no longer, and the country now has a Scrabble Federation and hosts tournaments for players.
(Source: Quora)5. United States: Kinder Surprise candy eggs
Flickr: brandoncripps / Creative Commons
Kinder Surprises are hugely popular
throughout many parts of the world, but these chocolate eggs with a toy
in the middle are banned in the United States. The reason? Worries about
the choking hazard that could be posed by a non-food product (or “non-nutritive component”) entirely encased in food. People have even been detained for trying to return to the U.S. from Canada with these treats in their possession.
(Source: Quora)6. Iran: Ponytails on Men
Getty Images/iStockphoto Kateryna Khyzhnyak
The Iranian government issued a list of appropriate male hairstyles in 2010, which prohibited ponytails, mullets, and hair that was too spiky.
(Source: Quora)7. Australia: Pornography Featuring Women With “Small” Breasts
Getty Images Jason Merritt
Apparently, some Australian politicians thought that pornography featuring women with breasts considered “small”
would encourage pedophilia. The Australian Classification Board started
refusing classification of these materials as a way of discouraging
them.
(Source: Quora)8. Singapore: Chewing Gum
Getty Images/FogStock FogStock/Jennifer Okamoto
Well, not exactly. Singapore bans the import or sale of gum,
which makes it essentially impossible for locals to get any. There is
an exception for people who have a medical prescription for gum. The
original ban came in 1992, when someone used chewed gum to bring the
public transportation system to a halt. Somehow.
(Source: Quora)9. The Philippines: Claire Danes
Getty Images Valerie Macon
OK, not the entirety of the Philippines, but Claire Danes
did become persona non grata in the capital city of Manila in the late
’90s. After giving interviews in which she described conditions in the
city, where she was filming a movie, in less-than-favorable terms, the
city council instituted a ban on all movies starring Danes.
(Source: Quora)10. Denmark: Ovaltine and Marmite
These are two of the most popular products disallowed by a Danish law
that requires government approval for any foods fortified with vitamins
or minerals. The law took effect in 2004, causing problems for large
manufacturers like Kellogg’s as well as small shop owners who could not
afford the cost of getting the government’s seal of approval for their
products. The Danes believe that a balanced diet supplies all the
vitamins and minerals one could need, and that too much of these things
can cause harm.
(Source: Quora)11. India: Alcohol Advertisements
Getty Images/iStockphoto Kondor83
The late 1990s saw the Indian government ban advertisements for alcoholic beverages.
Many companies have tried to get around the ban by promoting surrogate
products using the brand name of their alcohol, although even some of
those ads have come under fire from the government in the past.
(Source: Quora)12. France: Red Bull
Flickr: camknows / Creative Commons
Not anymore, thankfully. But until 2008, the energy drink
was banned in the country because of concerns over the chemical taurine
used in the drink’s recipe. The company had been selling a slightly
altered version of the drink without taurine previously.
(Source: Quora)13. China: Time Travel
Universal Pictures
Well, movies and shows about time travel.
Actual time travel isn’t possible yet, unless China knows something the
rest of us don’t. Anyway, apparently Chinese authorities felt that
representations of time travel resulted in frivolous depictions of
“serious history,” so they decided to ban it.
(Source: Quora)14. South Africa: Photos of the President’s House
KAREN BLEIER/AFP / Getty Images
Last year, the South African government announced that it was banning the taking and publicizing of images of the home of President Jacob Zuma,
even amongst established media outlets. Naturally, plenty of newspapers
defied the ban and published pictures of the home anyway.
(Source: Quora)15. North Korea: Blue Jeans
Getty Images/Fuse Fuse
Not black jeans. Just blue jeans. Apparently the color is associated with the United States, so North Korea banned them.
(Source: Quora)16. Monaco: Gambling at the Casino, if You Are a Citizen of Monaco
Getty Images Mark Thompson
That’s right — despite being a symbol of Monaco to many around the world, the Monte Carlo Casino does not actually allow citizens of Monaco to enter and gamble there. This supposedly dates back to the casino’s establishment
in the 1860s, when Prince Charles III was afraid that citizens of the
principality would lose all their money there. It was perfectly fine for
foreigners to do so, of course.
(Source: Quora)17. United Kingdom: Dying in the Houses of Parliament
Getty Images Davis McCardle
It’s not sure how they would
prosecute you for breaking this law, but: dying in the Houses of
Parliament is technically not allowed because anyone who dies inside is
entitled to a state funeral. And clearly, the government doesn’t want to deal with many state funerals.
(Source: Quora)18. Germany: Running Out of Gas on the Autobahn
Getty Images/iStockphoto Fontanis
And if you do run out of gas, don’t think about heading off on foot to find a gas station — walking on the Autobahn is also prohibited.
(Source: Quora)19. The Philippines: Singing “My Way,” by Frank Sinatra
Getty Images Hulton Archive
OK, so this is technically a de facto ban and not actually legislated. But many karaoke bars have banned the song,
and many patrons would refuse to sing it even if they did carry it.
Why? The song has led to at least six murders, stemming from arguments
over, some believe, the “arrogant” tone of the tune. The phenomenon has
even been dubbed the “My Way Killings.”
(Source: Quora)20. Thailand: The Movie Anna and the King
20th Century Fox
This 1999 film starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-fat (as well as a young Tom Felton, aka Draco Malfoy) ran afoul of Thai film censors,
who argued that the movie was insulting to the royal family and
distorted the country’s history. According to a 1930 law, any film that
disrespects the Thai monarchy will face a ban, and filmmakers can even
receive jail time.
(Source: Quora)21. South Korea: Online Video Games After Midnight
Getty Images/Hemera Mikael Damkier
A 2011 law, known as the “shutdown” law,
blocked children under the age of 16 from playing video games online
between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. Recently, authorities have
decided to show leniency, and will lift the ban in response to a
parental request. The ban was meant to help curb a gaming addiction
amongst members of the South Korean public.
(Source: Quora)22. Japan: Dancing in Clubs
AFP / Getty Images YOSHIKAZU TSUNO
It may seem strange that in a country where cities like Tokyo are renowned for their nightlife, dancing in clubs is illegal,
but it’s true. A law passed in 1948 to protect “public morals” has
meant that, technically, dancing in public venues is only permissible at
specially licensed establishments, and only until midnight. Some
lawmakers are currently working to repeal the law in preparation for the
2020 Tokyo Olympics.
(Source: Quora)
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