Top 15 Strange Bans by Governments Around the World

6China banned 2-D version of Avatar

The Chinese government didn’t let 2-D version of movie Avatar release in the country as they felt that it could inspire or motivate citizens to carry out a similar revolt as shown in the movie. The other reason for not letting Avatar release was the fact that it could have affected the local movie business to a good extent.

Image Source: independent.co.uk

7Iran banned western hairstyles

There is no doubt that almost all the middle-eastern countries are pretty determined to stop western culture from spreading among their citizens and each one of them has adopted different techniques. Iran has banned the western hairstyles for men such as spikes, mullets, etc. and any hair salon going against the ban may get its license cancelled.

Image Source: pinmyhair.com

8Don’t frown in Milan

When in Milan, never frown except during funeral or a hospital visit. As per the rules and regulations of the city administration, everybody needs to have a smile on the face and if the rules are not followed, a fine will be imposed on the violator. Good news is that this rule was enacted in 19th century when Milan was under the rule of Austria and it is not being followed very strictly nowadays.

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9Jasmine flower banned in China

The Chinese government has banned the word and the flower of jasmine after Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution. The sale of the flower was banned in the market and even the word “jasmine” was censored on the Internet as the government felt that it has the capacity to destabilize the Chinese society.

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10Claire Danes banned in Manila

The American actress Claire Danes was banned in Manila in 1998 after she made some negative comments about the city. During an interview with the Vogue magazine, Claire termed Manila as a ghastly and weird city. She also went on to say that the city smelled like cockroaches, it has no sewerage system with rats all over the place and people have no arms, no legs and no eyes. The city council banned her from entering the city and also banned each and every movie in which she works.

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