The 20 strangest bans in the world
In which countries and why it is legally prohibited to run with friends, star in porn if you have too small breasts, and wear blue jeans.
During the confrontation between ethnic groups in the country, which has subsided only in the last decade, the inhabitants of Burundi went jogging in large groups. On the one hand — to give an outlet to the accumulated energy, on the other — to repel dangerous armed groups together in case of anything.
In March 2014, the country's president Pierre Nkurunziza banned jogging, saying that in this way some people camouflage their subversive activities. Many representatives of the opposition were imprisoned for group runs.
This ban applies at least to major cultural events and television appearances. In 2005, then-President Saparmurat Niyazov banned the phonogram in order to "preserve the true culture." And four years earlier, he banned opera and ballet and abolished the Turkmen Opera and Ballet Theater named after Makhtumkuli. It should be noted that his follower Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is no less weird.
The law on "measures to regulate the reincarnation of living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism", 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 obtaining prior permission from the government.
In the 80s, Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu banned the game "Scrabble" because, in his opinion, it had a "subversive" and "malicious" character. Fortunately, the ban has now been lifted, there is a Scrabble Federation in the country that holds competitions.
"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? Due to concerns that the inedible toy may be swallowed. There are even cases of detention of people who returned to the United States from Canada with a prohibited delicacy.
The Iranian government released a list of approved men's hairstyles in 2010. In accordance with it, ponytails, mallets (a type of hairstyle in which the hair is cut short in front and on the sides, and the back remains long) and hair with styling "spikes" are prohibited.
Apparently, some Australian politicians believed that pornography with women with small breasts would contribute to the spread of pedophilia. The Australian Certification Commission began to refuse to classify such materials in order to avoid the spread of this problem.
This formulation 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 prescribed chewing gum for medical reasons, an exception is made. The prohibition law came into force in 1992 due to the fact that some person managed to cause a transport collapse with the help of chewing gum (they say he stuck it to the train doors, they could not close, and a passenger fell on the rails).
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 about the living conditions in the capital more than critically. Following this, the city council banned all films featuring Danes.
Today this information is no longer relevant. But until 2008, the energy drink was banned in the country due to concerns related to the presence of the chemical taurine in the composition of the drink. Before that, the company sold a slightly different version of its product, without taurine.
In fact, we are talking about movies and television shows about time travel. The Chinese authorities decided that the artistic depiction of time travel is directly related to the frivolous interpretation of "serious historical events", and banned it.
In 2012, the South African government announced a ban on photographing and distributing images of the house of President Jacob Zuma, even to respected publications. Of course, many newspapers ignored the ban, and photos of the house were published.
Not black jeans, no. Exactly blue. Presumably, this color is associated with the United States, so North Korea decided that it would be wiser to immediately introduce a ban.
All right. 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 of the casino's opening. Then Prince Charles III of Monaco decided that the residents could lose all their savings there. Foreigners, meanwhile, were allowed to lose as much as they wanted, of course.
It is unclear how the violator can be punished, but the fact remains that it is forbidden to die in the houses of Parliament, because anyone who does this is entitled to a funeral at the expense of the state. Of course, this is not profitable for the country.
And if you still run out of gas, don't even think about walking to the nearest gas station — walking on the autobahn is also prohibited.
This ban works de facto, there is no official law. But in many karaoke bars, the song is banned, and the regulars refuse to sing it, although technically nothing prevents it. Why? The composition was the cause of at least six murders, which occurred, as some think, because of disputes about the "arrogant" tone of the melody. The phenomenon even got a special name: "Killing My Way".
This 1999 film with Jodie Foster and Chow Yunfat pretty annoyed Thai censors, who claimed that the movie defames the royal family and distorts the history of the country. According to the 1930 law, a film showing disrespect for the Thai monarchy is subject to a ban, and the authors may even end up in prison.
In 2011, a law called "shutdown law" introduced a restriction for children under the age of 16 to play computer games from midnight to six in the morning. Recently, the authorities decided to show leniency and lift the ban in connection with the requests of parents. Initially, the law was designed to combat gambling addiction among Koreans.
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, the law on the protection of public morality was adopted, according to which dancing is allowed only in specially designated public places and only until midnight.