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The most absurd laws of different countries

The Times newspaper has published the 25 strangest and funniest laws from different countries. Inspired by the example of the British edition, here’s another more comprehensive hit parade of the eccentric and downright funny regulations of world legislative practice.

The peculiarities of national laws.

Traditions and peculiarities of the mentality of nations can be studied through strange laws. In this sense, a form of statute is the same product of culture as a movie, a book, or an image. Australians have been very naive people in the supposed “mirror of the laws: there is a law in Australia that prohibits walking on the streets in black clothes, felt shoes and with a face painted black, because all of the above” -the things mentioned constitute the disguise of a night thief. Also, there is a law here that orders people who practice the carrier’s trade for money to take hay with them. It is true that no one takes care that modern taxi drivers adhere to this rule: they are fortunate that they have not been transporting their passengers by means of a team of horses for a long time.

The people of Switzerland treat the rest of their associates with excessive respect. Legislators in this same country came up with a ban on flushing water out loud after 10 p.m., because it can annoy the neighbors. However, modern Swiss sanitary engineering makes violation of this law almost impossible. Waste deposits are produced with reinforced soundproofing; In addition, they are built in such a way that the water flows through the special pipes instead of falling with a crash.

The city-state of Singapore is world famous for its neatness and high fines for attempting to violate this neatness. Thus they fine for garbage, thrown into the street, in the amount equivalent to 600 dollars. Also, the sale of gum was banned for 12 years here, a radical measure in the fight against hooligans, who beat it anywhere. The ban was revoked only in 2004, when chewing gum appeared on the counters of Singapore pharmacies.

The law, according to which women are prohibited from wearing pants, was passed in African Swaziland not long ago. The regulation was enacted by the local monarch, who proclaimed a return to traditions, while pants represent non-traditional underwear for Swazi women. The punishment for wearing trousers is quite humiliating: the soldiers snatch them from the women and tear them into pieces. True, it is not clear how the arms of the law will view lingerie, if according to the law, which was passed by the monarch himself, Swazi women over 10 years old should not wear skirts above the knee.

The contempt of the King (the Queen).

Trampling money is prohibited by law in Thailand. At first glance, the move is absolutely insane, however, a few details will clarify the situation. The fact is that the King of this country is represented on all the banknotes and coins of Thailand. Stepping on his image is disrespectful to the monarch, so imprisonment is expected.

Finally, it is still forbidden to name pigs after Napoleon in France. It should be noted that in this case the dissemination of George Orwell’s book “Animal Farm” on the territory of the country should also be prohibited, because the pig aka Napoleon is one of the main characters in the work.

The survivals of the past.

Many strange laws, which are nominally currently in force, are nothing more than survivals from the past, sometimes from a rather remote one.

Most of the time, such regulations are found in Britain and the US, where the legislation has not been fully reconsidered over the centuries. There are even public groups in the United States, fighting for the abolition of “silly” laws. This occupation is not one of the easy ones: after all, it is necessary to find an absurd and long-unused law, and it is also necessary to verify the following fact: what if it was already abolished?

Consider, for example, the British law, mentioned by The Times, which prescribes two hours of archery exercises per day for each male subject, who is over 14 years old. This decree was issued by King Edward III as early as the 14th century; It is also famous for the ban on the ball game, which today is known as soccer. Soccer was finally allowed in 1603. The British were officially released from the obligation to practice.

daily archery under Queen Victoria in 1863. It is true that there is a suspicion that they had stopped practicing it long before.

The Times also recalls that any free man can lead the flock of sheep across London Bridge duty-free in London. Also, a free man has the opportunity to lead geese in Cheapside. But a person affected by the plague is prohibited from taking a taxi on the streets.

In addition, there is a law according to which two men are prohibited from having sex with each other in a house, where the third person is present. This law was enacted at the end of the 16th century as the fight against homosexual brothels, which appeared in the big cities of England.

Private life and public morals.

A gynecologist has the right to examine the genitals of a woman in Bahrain, however, he (she) cannot look at them directly, but only at their reflection in the mirror. Sexual relations with animals are permitted by law in several Muslim countries, but exclusively with females. One person faces the prospect of the death penalty for being linked to a mail animal in Lebanon. They can be beheaded to masturbate in Indonesia.

In the state of Florida, only the so-called missionary position is allowed and kissing a woman’s breast during intercourse is prohibited. Sex involving the position of “Amazon” is not allowed in Massachusetts.

The legislators of countries and states also show a somewhat inappropriate eagerness in the defense of public morals. A man in a skirt can be arrested in Italy, for example. Of course, it is clear, which men in skirts are in question, but what should the Scots, who revere their traditions, do in Italy?

Women are prohibited from wearing patent leather shoes in the state of Ohio – shoes are considered to reflect underwear. Kissing for more than five minutes is prohibited in Iowa.

Florida state law, under which single women are prohibited from parachuting on Sundays, is the last in this category. Perhaps it is also related to public morals.

The hodgepodge.

It is forbidden to hide anything from the tax official in case you do not want him to know about it in the UK regulations on tax evasion (issued in 2006). Therefore, in case you do not mind that the prosecutor has knowledge of some data, you are not obliged to communicate them.

Driving while blindfolded is prohibited in the state of Alabama. Watering fish with alcohol is strictly prohibited in Ohio. Killing birds is not allowed in the city of Boulder, Colorado. Also, it is illegal to keep pets there. Thus, everyone who has a cat or a dog is officially called “the keeper of the animal.”

A wife must obtain her husband’s written consent to have dentures done in the state of Vermont. The head of any dead whale found on land in London belongs to the King. The tail of such a whale belongs to the queen in case she needs the baleen for the corset.

Laws, which can be unambiguously described as absurd, are also enacted in the post-Soviet region. Therefore, for car enthusiasts in Belarus it is prescribed to have no less than three contraceptive devices in the medicine cabinet. Not only women, but also men and even priests were mercilessly fined for the absence of contraceptive devices. It is true that, according to recent data, the Belarusian authorities abolished this rule in 2007.

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