People in Malaysia who own a Swatch Pride collection watch could face up to three years in prison after the interior ministry banned the collection.
As well as jail time, people caught wearing the LGBTQ+ watches could also be fined up to $6,650.
The laws also apply to anyone who prints, imports or produces these items.
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“The Malaysian government is committed to preventing the spread of elements that are harmful or may be harmful to morals,” a statement from the ministry read.
According to the government, the watches may cause harm by 'promoting, supporting and normalizing the LGBTQ+ movement that is not accepted by the general public'.
The watches, which are a part of Swatch’s ‘Love is Love’ campaign, feature different 'bold colors' and the rainbow Pride flag.
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Swatch says the watches are not harmful but instead 'celebrate the unity and diversity that make our society- and Swatch - so strong'.
Homosexuality is illegal in Malaysia with a penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment. Same-sex couples cannot marry, adopt or serve in the military. Conversion therapy is also promoted by the government.
Earlier this year in May, Malaysian law enforcement officers raided Swatch stores across the country and seized $14,000 in Swatch watches that had the LGBTQ+ acronym on them.
According to Agence France-Presse, 172 watches were taken by the Malaysian government during these raids.
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In response to the raid, Swatch filed a lawsuit against the Malaysian Government.
“The seized watches did not and are not in any way capable of causing any disruption to public order or morality or any violation of the law,” the lawsuit reads according to Reuters.
The Malaysian Government also shut down Kuala Lumpur’s Good Vibes festival after Matt Healy, lead singer of The 1975, kissed a male bandmate to protest the country’s lack of LGBT rights.
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“There will be no compromise against any party that challenges, disparages and violates Malaysian laws,” said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil in a Twitter post.
Human Rights Watch wrote in a report last year: “The Malaysian Government relies on the force of the law to prohibit expression and conduct that falls outside of a heterosexual, cisgender norm.
“It is one of only a handful of countries that explicitly makes gender nonconformity a criminal offense.”
Topics: News, World News, LGBTQ
Velentina Boulter