These 35 Items Are Prohibited Worldwide And Knowing Them Will Save You A Lot Of Problems While Traveling

Ignorance of the law is no excuse!

Maryjane

• Published in Interesting
• May 24, 2023

Many people feel strangely nervous when they leave a store empty-handed or when they wait at a red light while a police car is passing. Even though you are aware that you have done nothing illegal, you still feel like a criminal about to be apprehended.

These are just a few examples of seemingly criminal but legitimate activities. The paradox is that occasionally you might even act illegally while being completely oblivious to it.

This is when something that is commonplace where you live ends up on a list of things that other states or nations have outlawed. We are all aware of commonplace acts that are prohibited everywhere (or in most locations), such as stealing, abduction, crossing the street against the light, exceeding the posted speed limit, etc.

We understand that these actions carry penalties. But what about the numerous bizarre rules and peculiar things that are forcibly forbidden all across the world or in some regions?

For example, flip-flops and Japanese shaving brushes are just two of the peculiar items that have been outlawed globally. There is a great difference between not knowing the regulations and not knowing about really odd, bizarre things that are prohibited abroad.

Below is a list of bizarre items that have been outlawed around the world for extremely weird (and frequently illogical) justifications.

1. Lip-Syncing (Turkmenistan)

To protect “true culture,” the former president of Turkmenistan banned lip-syncing in 2005. Also, he outlawed opera and ballet, calling them superfluous. According to the former president’s order, lip-syncing isn’t permitted at cultural events, concerts, television, or private gatherings like weddings.

2. Certain Baby Names (Denmark, Iceland, And Portugal)

Foreign names are not permitted to be used for Portuguese infants, so Aiden, Ashley, Bruce, Charlotte, Dylan, and Jenny are all prohibited. A law also forbids giving a kid a nickname as their legal name. For example, the name Tom cannot be used, but Tomas is permitted.

Any name with C, Q, or W in it would be disallowed in Iceland because these letters do not exist in the Icelandic alphabet.

Denmark has a list of around 7,000 baby names that are allowed, and, like in Germany, gender-neutral names are off the list.

3. Flip-Flops (Capri, Italy)

Apparently, flip-flops are prohibited on the Italian island of Capri since they are “excessively noisy,” and residents want to enjoy their “peace and quiet.” Tourists may, however, bring “loud” shoes and wear them in the rest of Italy.

4. Japanese Shaving Brushes (Saint Lucia)

These innocent-looking shaving brushes are forbidden in the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. After a scandal involving anthrax contamination in the early 1900s, the island outlawed all imports of shaving brushes made in or exported from Japan.

5. Online Video Games After Midnight Under The Age Of Sixteen (South Korea) - Abolished

In 2011, the South Korean National Assembly passed the Youth Protection Revision Act, sometimes referred to as the "Shutdown Law" or "Cinderella Law," which made it illegal for kids under sixteen to play online video games between the hours of 0:00 and 6:00. However, the legislation was repealed in 2021.

6. Police Whistles (Guatemala)

Among things such as arms, cremated remains, feeding bottles, Gardenia plants and seeds, Guatemala’s conditions for mailing also prohibit mailing police whistles. Why? Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any reasonable explanation. However, apparently, police whistles can be used as weapons and break the eardrum, which causes pain, loss of balance, and possibly even unconsciousness.

7. Running Out Of Gas In Autobahn (Germany)

Running out of petrol is a big no-no since stopping your car on the Autobahn in Germany is also forbidden. Moreover, walking is not allowed on the Autobahn too.

8. Gambling At The Casino, If You Are A Citizen Of Monaco (Monaco)

Monaco residents are not allowed to gamble. Nonetheless, just 8,000 out of the 38,000 population, or around 21%, are citizens. A few publications said it was a moral policy that dates back to the establishment of casinos in the 1850s as to why those 8,000 residents are not allowed to bet.

9. Using More Than 25 Pennies (Canada)

Since 2013, using more than 25 pennies in a single transaction has been prohibited in Canada. This was one of the laws set to place to gradually phase out coins.

10. Time Travel Movies And TV Shows (China)

China’s government attempted to limit TV’s “bad” effects out of concern for how it would affect its residents’ perceptions of the world. Hence, in 2011, officials decided to outlaw time travel plots because they were worried about the rising popularity of time travel programs that alter history.

However, the directive from China’s Bureau of Broadcasting issued in 2012 might have been more of a guidance and not strict rules since several movies and TV shows, including time travel plots, have been shown in China since. Filmmakers are still allowed to create TV shows that do not follow the rules, but there may be a long delay before those shows may be broadcast.

In addition to broadcasting, a TV series’ screenplay must be approved by the censorship board. Even if a film or television series is made, it cannot be broadcast or streamed in China if the censorship board does not approve of the plot. Hence, filmmakers often won’t take the chance to produce a movie or television series that likely won’t be shown on the big screen.

11. Haggis (USA)

Haggis’s importation from the UK into the US was outlawed in 1971 due to a restriction on products containing sheep lung. All lungs are prohibited because, during slaughter, bodily fluids like mucus and stomach acid might seep into the lung.

12. Mullets And Ponytails (Iran)

In 2010, Iran outlawed mullets, ponytails, and long, gelled hair for men but allowed quiffs or floppy fringes in the style of the 1980s. Apparently, the ban included "homosexual" and "devil worshiping" hairstyles, tattoos, sunbed treatments, and plucked eyebrows for males since they are all considered against Islamic law.

13. Wheelbarrows And Carts (Lagos, Nigeria)

The Lagos State Government banned the use of carts and wheelbarrows in 2018, claiming that their activities were detrimental to the state’s environmental cleanliness. According to a former secretary to the state government, investigations have shown that the majority of the unlawful dumping of rubbish into canals and road medians at night that results in floods was done by cart pushers.

14. Reincarnation (China)

Since 2017, only with Chinese government approval may Buddhist monks in Tibet undergo reincarnation. Many believe the law was simply implemented to defame the Dalai Lama and lower public opinion of him.

15. Valentine’s Day (Indonesia, Pakistan, And Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, or Pakistan residents cannot celebrate Valentine's Day. Since it is not a Muslim practice and because it emphasizes love that isn’t aimed at God, Pakistan outlawed the holiday in 2017.

16. Anonymous Blogs With Over 3,000 Daily Visitors (Russia)

A regulation limiting social media users was enacted in Russia in 2014. That meant bloggers with more than 3,000 daily readers had to register with the country’s mass media regulator, Roskomnadzor, and follow the rules that apply to the nation’s major media outlets

17. Eating Durian Fruit In Public (Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, And Singapore)

Although the durian fruit may be a favorite among many Singaporeans and visitors, the government and private sector were obliged to ban it due to its pungent stench. Due to the numerous “No Durian” signs found almost anywhere, travelers to Singapore shouldn’t anticipate seeing durian fruit on the city’s public transportation or in major public areas. Durian has also been outlawed on various forms of public transportation in Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong.

18. Electronic Games In Public Places (Greece) — Abolished

The Greek government approved the controversial Law 3037/2002 in 2002. However, it was eventually repealed in 2012. The law effectively outlawed all electronic games related to gambling, including those running on computers, consoles, and mobile phones, to combat unlawful gambling in the country.

19. Creating Memes (Australia)

Lawfully, memes cannot be created or distributed in Australia because of the country’s strong copyright laws. “Distributing an infringing article that prejudicially affects the copyright owner” is prohibited, according to Section 132A Part 2 of the Copyright Act.

20. High Heels In Historical Sites (Greece)

Since 2009, Greece has outlawed wearing heels at any historical site. Apparently, the pointy heels apply too much pressure to the ground and can chip away at architectural structures.

21. Importing Ballpoint Pens (Nigeria)

In addition to ballpoint pens, so are prohibited all types of footwear, live or dead birds, spaghetti or noodles, carpets, and cocoa butter.

22. The Word “Jasmine” And Jasmine Flowers (China)

After the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests, also known as the Greater Chinese Democratic Jasmine Revolution, the word “jasmine” was blocked by China Mobile and China Unicom, suggesting that one can’t use the word “jasmine” on the internet in China. According to a report in The New York Times from May 10, 2011, selling jasmine flowers at flower marketplaces had also been prohibited.

23. Chewing Gum (Singapore)

Singapore forbids the import and trading of chewing gum, except for a few varieties allowed for medicinal reasons. The country also takes prohibition very seriously; the importer might face jail time and huge fines.

24. Blue Jeans (North Korea)

Blue jeans are prohibited in North Korea because they are viewed as a symbol of American imperialism. The same applies to other Western items, such as skinny jeans, lip and nose piercings, and branded T-shirts.

25. Import Of Pencils (Tunisia)

Pencil imports are forbidden in Tunisia. Why? Not quite sure. However, items such as crayons, baby feeders with tubes, raisins, and soap are also prohibited.

26. Google Earth, Skype, And Youtube (Morocco)

According to reports, Google Earth, Skype, and YouTube have all been intermittently blocked in Morocco since at least 2006. However, tests carried out in the middle of 2013 revealed that they were all usable. Still, it is impossible to determine the status of a specific website because the blocking is not systematic and constant in time and place, and Morocco’s primary ISP disputes that they intentionally block particular services, blaming technical difficulties.

27. Jogging In Groups (Burundi)

Apparently, jogging groups were prohibited from Burundi’s capital in 2014 because opposition parties used them as a pretext for organizing “uprisings.” However, individual jogging is allowed.

28. Noise (Victoria, Australia)

In Victoria, Australia, residents are prohibited from making any loud noises during set hours, which are Monday to Friday before 7 am and after 8 pm. and on weekends and public holidays before 9 am and after 8 pm.

29. Photos Of The President’s House (South Africa)

In 2013, the South African government threatened legal action against media sites that published images of President Jacob Zuma’s home. The photo ban came after a lengthy dispute about Zuma's house in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal — a massive property with a mini-football field, a gym, and helicopter pads.

A controversy broke out after it was learned that more than £12 million in public funds were spent to renovate the property, leading various media sources to publish aerial pictures of it.

30. Lacy Underwear (Russia, Belarus, And Kazakhstan)

Sales of lacy underwear are prohibited in Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Russia. Garments in contact with your skin must include at least 6% cotton, according to standards approved in 2013. This was implemented due to health concerns because lace is not a skin-breathable fabric.

31. Curvy Mannequins (Iran)

Since 2009, Iran’s shopkeepers have been prohibited from using mannequins without headscarves or exposing body curves as part of a government campaign against Western influence.

32. Yellow Clothing (Malaysia)

As thousands of protestors in yellow t-shirts stormed the streets of Kuala Lumpur and demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister in 2016, the Malaysian government outlawed wearing yellow clothes. Since then, anyone seen wearing yellow has been subject to arrest on the grounds that they are participating in a protest.

33. Goldfish In A Glass Bowl (Rome, Italy)

Although it is legal to own goldfish in Rome, keeping them in a glass bowl is not. It is regarded as harsh since the bowl restricts their oxygen intake and could render them blind.

34. Candy Eggs (USA)

Kinder Surprise Candy Eggs have been classified as a choking hazard since these chocolate sweets have a little toy within them. Attempts to import this Canadian sweet have resulted in people being detained in airports.

35. Baby Walkers (Canada)

In 2004, the Canadian government banned baby walkers to protect kids since they were moving too fast, and parents or caregivers simply couldn’t respond quickly enough.

As they say, not knowing the law is not an excuse. Therefore, if you're lucky, you might understand the law after receiving a simple warning rather than a fine or, worse yet, a jail sentence.

Weird items like these are prohibited in several countries around the world; were you aware of any of them? Are there any odd banned items that we should have added to the list but may have overlooked? Comment below!

Maryjane