In individual cities and countries of the world there are many strange and even ridiculous prohibitions. For example, in Iowa (USA), a man with a mustache is forbidden to publicly kiss a woman. But there are countries that prohibit the most common things for Russians. Sometimes the good intentions, which you yourself know where they lead, are to blame. And sometimes bans are imposed for political, religious or economic reasons.
In our top 10 we collected ten countries with the most ridiculous bans.
And here are the good intentions that turned into problems for computer game lovers. In an attempt to solve the problem of illegal gambling, the Greek authorities in 2002 issued the infamous Law No. 3037, which forbade the installation and playing of “electrical, electromechanical and electronic games” in public places. You can not play computer games, even in private possessions. It must have been a shame to those who bought the best game console or a powerful gaming computer exactly the day before the law was passed.
The penalty for violating it is supposed to be quite serious - 5,000 euros, and three months in prison are still attached to it. And this is the easiest punishment, for repeated violation they punish much more severely.
9. Malaysia - yellow clothing
Wearing yellow clothing, whether it be boots, a hat, a T-shirt or even family underpants, is completely illegal in Malaysia. Yellow is considered the “color of the protesters." The Malaysian government has decided to ban yellow clothes for political reasons, due to the fact that a large group of opposition activists often use yellow clothes during their actions.
8. Denmark - the "unofficial" name of the child
The Danish authorities tried to protect newborns from ridicule in the future. How? The state has forbidden parents to call children strange names. You can choose a name for your child from a list of 24,000 officially approved names. If you want to name your child in any other way, you will have to get permission from government officials.
Maybe this is a reasonable measure, given the strange names some Russians give their offspring.
7. Iran - western haircuts
The Iranian government has banned several things that are alien to the traditional spirit of the country, including Western music, skinny jeans and tattoos, as well as keeping cats and dogs as pets.
But Western haircuts come to the fore among things that annoy Iranian authorities. Such haircuts include: ponytail, hedgehog on the head and mallet. The Iranian hairdressing union has banned all this because it believes that Western hairstyles are a sign of worship of the forces of evil.
6. China - Jasmine
In 2011, jasmine was banned in mainland China. People were not allowed to sell one of the most pleasantly smelling flowers in the world, to grow and even talk about it. Even the word “jasmine” is censored in the Chinese segment of the Internet.
And the thing is that the jasmine flower was chosen as a protest symbol in the Middle Kingdom after several revolutions that took place in the Middle East and North Africa. The Chinese opposition called on people every week to silently go out with jasmine in their hands, thus expressing their “fi” to the authorities.
5. Burundi - jogging
A regular morning run as part of a group of healthy lifestyle fans can lead to a prison term if you run to Burundi. Yes, in this country, group running is seen as an act of war, so President Pierre Nkurunziza officially banned it in order to avoid conflicts between ethnic groups.
It is very convenient for the authorities of Burundi that under the cover of this ban they managed to put some opposition leaders behind bars. And do not run under the nose of the government!
4. France - ketchup
According to the government, spoiling national dishes with ketchup is a real crime. And teenagers consumed it too much, spitting on long-standing culinary traditions. Therefore, the sale of ketchup in the canteens of schools and universities of the country is prohibited. However, there is an exception - ketchup is served once a week, along with french fries.
3. Australia - small breasts in porn movies
The country of kangaroos and Crocodile Dundee was distinguished by one of the strangest and even offensive prohibitions from the point of view of women, and understandable from the point of view of many men. There, shooting in films of the category "XXX" is not forbidden for women with outstanding mammary glands in every sense. But to the owners of a small breast - you can’t.
The Australian government felt that the appearance of such girls on the screen would be a delight for the eyes of pedophiles, or, worse, would encourage child abuse.
2. China - reincarnation without the consent of the government
As Vladimir Vysotsky sang, "The Indians came up with a good religion: That we, having given our ends, do not die forever." So, in China they die forever if there is no appropriate permission from the authorities.
The plan for moving souls falls within the scope of “managerial measures to reincarnate living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism,” and only Buddhist monks are allowed to apply for such permission. The ban for all other persons was introduced in 2007 and is still valid.
This was done not just like that, but to restrain the influence of the Dalai Lama. After issuing permission for reincarnation, the Chinese authorities will technically know where the new Dalai Lama may be born. If in the future a person appears claiming that he is the next Dalai Lama, they can answer him: "And we have no records confirming this." Thus, control over Tibetan Buddhism is exercised.
1. North Korea - almost everything is prohibited
The most isolated country in the world and one of the nuclear powers of the world forbids its citizens many things that we face every day.
Free Internet access, calls abroad, the ability to leave the country without special permission, wear blue jeans, do creative hairstyles and listen to foreign music? No, not heard. The Korean authorities are so harsh that they even forbade watching adult films and buying relevant magazines. Punishment is the death penalty. By the way, condoms in the country are also “taboo”.
You still cannot drive a car without being a military man or an official who has received special permission and move to the capital, again, without permission.
Finally, the crime of calling a country North Korea while in North Korea. You should call her "Korea."