There possibly isn't a much worse aspect to a holiday than being arrested for a crime you didn't even know you were committing. But if you fail to look up the laws of a country you are travelling to - as 63% of people reportedly do - this could be a reality.
While most of us understand and abide by the laws set in our own countries, rules and regulations differ hugely across the planet based on a number of factors like religion, society and much more. This is why it is so important to make sure you are up to date with the laws of your next holiday destination, because according to Cosmopolitan, they really might not be what you expect.
Here are a few:
1. Calling people names on social media
Under the UAE's stringent and little known cyber-crime laws, it is against the law to post defamatory social media comments and is punishable by both fines and jail time. In 2019, a British woman faced a potential two-year prison sentence in Dubai after calling her ex-husband's new wife a "horse" on Facebook, reports campaign group Detained in Dubai.
In 2016, Laleh Shahravesh, who previously resided in the UAE but moved to the UK, upon seeing photos of her ex-husband with his new wife, Laleh angrily commented, "I hope you go under the ground you idiot. Damn you. You left me for this horse." Although the comment was made while she was in the UK, she was arrested when visiting the country later to attend her ex-husband's funeral with their 14-year-old daughter. She faced up to two years in prison and a £50,000 fine but was later freed after public uproar.
2. Chewing Gum
It is actually illegal to chew gum in Singapore after the government, who became frustrated with the mess the sticky substance was leaving all over the streets when people would discard it haphazardly, decided to ban it completely in 1992. Some gums are acceptable, however, like dental or nicotine gum or if chewing is therapeutic but it must be prescribed by a doctor. Selling it unauthorised could land you a fine of up to $100,000, or even 2 years in prison.
3. Travelling with medications
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is warning people who take medications to check the rules wherever they are travelling to before arriving. This is because different countries have different rules on what you can and can't bring in and medications like painkillers, anti-depressants and over the counter cough syrups are totally banned - or have very specific rules around them - in some places. If you are unsure, it is best to check before you go to avoid being caught out and have your important medications taken away - or even being fined or arrested.
4. Witnessing a fight
A 21-year-old British woman Asa Hutchinson found herself arrested and detained in Dubai after witnessing a fight in the lobby of a hotel. The young woman from Essex, was with friends who took selfies with a sleeping man, who awoke and attacked them. The man called the police, leading to Asa's arrest, even though she claimed to have only witnessed the incident. Her friends left the country, but Asa was charged with assault and theft and remains stranded, facing potential jail time.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, explained why this worrying situation has occurred: "In Dubai, if two parties are in dispute or arguing, the first person to speak to the police is usually the one who is believed. Often it is a race to get to the police first. Visitors to the UAE need to be aware that justice does not operate the same way as it does in countries with mature legal systems."
5. Crossing the road
Known as 'jaywalking', it is an offence in America to cross the road when its not indicated by traffics lights to do so, or where there is no official crossing at all. Depending on what state you are in, the punishment varies but in Massachusetts, for example, a person will be charged $1 for their first, second and third offence and £2 for any further offence within the same year. In 2007, a European professor was wrestled to the ground in Atlanta after crossing in the middle of the street.
6. Vaping
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office recently advised people not to bring vapes into Thailand as they are banned in the country. Those found with vaporisers, including e-cigarettes, e-baraku or refills in the country may be fined or potentially face up to 10 years behind bars in convicted.
7. Having sex
In some countries in the UAE it is illegal to live with or to share the same hotel room with someone of the opposite sex who you aren't married or closely related to, or to have sex before marriage. Anyone found guilty of doing these things could be prosecuted, face imprisonment or a hefty fine as well as deportation.
An unnamed British woman visiting Dubai in 2019 claimed she was gang-raped in the country but when she went to the police to report the incident, she was arrested - not the perpetrators - as, according to them, she had broken laws banning premarital sex. The charges in this case were dropped shortly after. In another incident, a Ukrainian women discovered she was pregnant with her boyfriend's baby while on holiday in the country and they were both promptly arrested.
8. Ordering an alcoholic drink
In Thailand is is an offence to order alcohol outside of designated hours meaning that if you fancy a drink in between, it simple won't be possible. It's technically illegal to purchase alcohol from a bar, restaurant or anywhere else outside of lunch (11am-2pm) and dinner (after 5pm) or any time on Buddha Day or Election Day as part of rules to put in place observe times of rest.
9. Frowning
Clearly keen for visitors and locals to have a good time when in the city, according to an old law in Milan, Italy, it is illegal to do anything other than smile and do so is punishable by a fine. The only people exempt from the law, apparently, are people in hospitals and those attending funerals.
10. Having certain tattoos
In the Buddhist country of Shri Lanka, they have various laws regarding images of Buddha and other Buddhist icons. Tattoos there come under the umbrella term of 'images and artefacts' and tourists have been known to either be refused entry or removed from the country for having tattoos that break these rules. People with Buddha-related tattoos are advised to cover up when in the country.
11. Wearing a bikini
While wearing a bikini or swim suit on the beach is still acceptable, of course, in 2011, Barcelona outlawed tourists - or anyone for that matter - wearing bikinis while roaming the streets of the city. Threatening fines to anyone not covered up in public, Mallorca also brought in a similar rule in 2014, meaning that those caught could face paying up to £500.
12. Swearing
In Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales of Australia, it is illegal to swear or use offensive language. Known as a 'summary offence', saying something obscene in a public place could land you in front of a judge at a magistrates court. The punishment isn't a light one either and those found guilty could be imprisoned for up to six months.
According to the The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), swearing and make rude gestures, including online, is considered to be what the United Arab Emirates calls an "obscene act" and could result in offenders there being jailed or send back to their home country.
13. Taking painkillers
Although it is not a blanket ban, in Japan, some over the counter medications are completely off limits including Vick Inhalers or anything containing codeine. People are warned that bringing these into the country or having them on your person could result in detention or deportation - or both.
14. Flushing the loo at night
When it Switzerland, it might be best to avoid having a late night drink or downing a glass of water before bed as its actually illegal to flush the toilet in the middle of the night there. The rule is in place to attempt to crack down on noise pollution but those desperate between the hours of 10pm and 7am will just have to accept they won't be able to flush. This only applied in apartment buildings, luckily.
15. Connecting to WIFI
In Singapore, you could be branded a hacker for logging into another persons WIFI without their permission. Using someone else's network is punishable with a fine of up to $10,000 under the country's Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act - and could land guilty parties three years in prison.
16. Wearing camouflage clothes
While it might be fashionable, wearing camouflage clothing is completely banned on the Caribbean islands of Barbados, St Vincent and St Lucia (as well as others), even if it is not in khaki colours. It is believed that this unusual rule is in place to prevent people from impersonating military personnel and is look upon and a very serious offence.
17. Singing after sunset
This one might dash your dreams if your specific wish is to blast karaoke on an evening out in Hawaii, but in Honolulu, it is completely illegal to sing loudly after the sun has gone down.
18. Peeing in the ocean
There aren't many people who can honestly say they have never done it, but in Portugal, it is actually against the law to urinate in the sea. However, this one is very difficult to enforce.
19. Wearing high heels
In certain places in Greece, it is illegal to glam up by wearing a pair of high heeled shoes. This is mostly enforced on historical sites and when exploring the ancient monuments as the pointy, hard heel of a shoe could cause damage to the fragile stone that has been preserved for so many thousands of years.
20. Smoking in public
Smoking anywhere in public, including on transport, at bus stops, underground crossings, sports and government establishments, playground, streets and parks, is totally banned in Ukraine - as well as drinking. You will have to wait until you are in the privacy of your own accommodation before cracking open a pack of cigarettes or a bottle.