Every entry checked against the statute, or shown to have no statute behind it.
The claim that Ecuador bans photography of its currency or government buildings without written permission from the central bank is false. No such law exists in Ecuador's monetary, criminal, or administrative codes.
Bergen County, New Jersey is one of the last places in the United States where it is illegal to sell clothing, furniture, appliances, and other 'non-essential' goods on Sundays, under a state statute known as the Blue Law. The law has been repeatedly upheld by county voters and remains actively enforced today.
The claim that Costa Rica uniquely prohibits the sale of all aerosol spray cans to protect the ozone layer — with stricter penalties than most countries — is false. Costa Rica phased out CFC-based aerosol propellants as part of its ratification of the Montreal Protocol, exactly like nearly 200 other nations worldwide.
It is widely claimed online that Vietnam bans the import and sale of chewing gum, similar to Singapore's famous 1992 ban. This is false — Vietnam has no such law and operates a thriving, legal chewing gum market.
Under Article 287 of the Philippines' 1930 Revised Penal Code, 'unjust vexation' is a criminal offense covering any human conduct that causes annoyance, irritation, torment, or distress to another person — even without physical contact or financial harm. You can go to jail for being a nuisance.
Bolivia legally requires all citizens aged 18–69 to vote in elections. Those who fail to vote and don't pay the fine lose access to banking services, public office positions, and passport applications for 90 days.
The claim that Bolivia has a national law forcing all citizens to participate in minka (communal labor projects) under threat of criminal penalties is false. No such statute exists at the national level.
Polish law genuinely requires anyone who finds an abandoned dog or cat to notify an animal shelter, fire authority, or police. However, the popularly cited '48-hour' deadline does not appear in the statute — the legal standard is 'niezwłocznie' (immediately / without undue delay).
Uganda's Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act, 2019 requires traditional healers, herbalists, and complementary medicine practitioners to be licensed and registered. Operating or advertising without a license carries a fine of up to 20 million Ugandan Shillings — but the law targets unlicensed practice, not 'impersonation,' and 'witch doctors' occupy a separate and more complicated legal category.
Mauritius prohibits fishing for sharks in its territorial sea under the Fisheries and Marine Resources (Conservation of Sharks) Regulations 2021, Government Notice No. 315 of 2021, and separately prohibits finning, gutting or gilling a shark. The popular claim that Mauritius bans importing and selling 'shark fin products' misreads the law: the 2021 regulations govern the fishing and handling of sharks rather than a consumer trade in fins, and section 28 of the Fisheries Act 2023 obliges fishing-vessel operators to observe prescribed shark-fin prohibitions instead of enacting a standalone import or retail ban.
A widely circulated claim holds that Pakistani law requires all published newspapers to print the national motto or a religious verse on the front page. No such provision exists in Pakistan's press legislation.
The claim that Ghana makes it illegal to name a child after a day of the week without first registering the name with local authorities is false. No such law exists in Ghanaian legislation.