From jogging in Burundi to flip flops in Capri -
some countries around the world have forbidden a variety of unusual
activities and goods.
Check out these 18 strange things banned around the world.
1. Jogging - Burundi
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.
2. Frowning - Milan
If you want to visit Milan, make sure to smile all the time. The Italian metropolis has imposed a ban on frowning. The city states that it is a legal requirement to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits. Grouches who dare to break this regulation can face a fine.
3. Singing at Night - Hawaii
Hawaii is considered one of the greatest summer holiday destinations in the world but those who like singing at night might want to consider choosing another place. In Honolulu, the state´s capital, it is illegal to sing loudly after the sunset.
4. Chewing Gum - Singapore
When traveling to Singapore, remember to leave your chewing gums at home. In 2004, this city-state in Southeast Asia imposed a strict ban on chewing gum imports. Under the rule, no gum is allowed to be bought or sold inside Singapore and there is a $500 fine for spitting out gum on the streets.
5. Flip Flops - Capri
Capri, an island located in the Campania region, Italy, is a popular tourist destination. However, if you decide to visit avoid wearing flip flops. Flip flops and sandals that make loud noises are banned.
6. Winnie the Pooh - Tuszyn
In Tuszyn, a little town in Central Poland, Winnie the Pooh is banned from playgrounds. Local authorities argued that Pooh is “half-naked” and of “dubious sexuality”, which is totally inappropriate for little children.
7. Scrabble -Romania
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.
8. Ponytails on Men - Iran
The Iranian government issued a list of appropriate male hairstyles in 2010, which prohibited ponytails, mullets, and hair that was too spiky.
9. Change a Light Bulb - Victoria
In Victoria, the second most populous state of Australia, you are not allowed to change a light bulb unless you are a licensed electrician. Those who don't comply can face a fine of up to 10 Australian dollars.
10. Badmouthing - Icononzo
In 2005, Ignacio Jimenez, a mayor of Icononzo, a town in Colombia, passed a law under which, badmouthing was illegal. He argued that waggling tongues could be the difference between life and death for residents of the city, thanks to ongoing warfare between Marxist rebels and far-right paramilitary outlaws.
11. Reincarnation - Tibet
China is notorious for its tendency to control things in Tibet but the law that the Chinese government passed in 2007 was just beyond absurd. According to the law, it's illegal for the Tibetan monks to reincarnate without the government´s permission.
12. Dying in Royal Palaces - England
Another popular law passed in England is the one prohibiting people to die in the Houses of Parliament. Completely true and confirmed, the law was based on the fact that the buildings counted as a royal palace, therefore anyone who died there was technically entitled to a state funeral.
13. Driving a dirty car - Chelyabinsk
In the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, driving a dirty car is against the law. If you drive a car that is not clean enough, you can get fined up to 2000 rubles (currently around 30 American dollars).
14. Walk your dog less than 3 times - Torino
In Torino, Italy, it is against the law not to walk your dog at least three times a day.
15. Blue Jeans - North Korea
Not black jeans. Just blue jeans. Apparently the color is associated with the United States, so North Korea banned them.
16. Running Out of Gas on the Autobahn - Germany
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.
17. Dying - Svalbard, Norway
The frozen town of Longyearbyen in the Svalbard Islands of Norway has a completely different reason to ban deaths in the area. The bodies there never decompose. Due to permafrost, dead bodies were completely well preserved and did not decay.
In fact, live samples of the virus of the Spanish influenza epidemic in 1917 were taken from bodies buried there. People who are gravely ill or about to die are taken to different parts of Norway.
18. Lip-Synching - Turkmenistan
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."
Sources : one , two , three
