Malaysian court orders return of seized Swatch rainbow watches

Keystone / Peter Klaunzer

A Malaysian court has ordered local authorities to return dozens of Swatch watches in rainbow colours seized last year.

The 172 watches, worth a total of around $14,000 (less than CHF 12,500), were seized from Swatch shops across Malaysia in May 2023.

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At the time, an official explained that the watches had been seized because they bore the acronym “LGBT” and represented the six colours synonymous worldwide with the rainbow flag of LGBT pride movement.

The government of Malaysia, where homosexuality is outlawed and LGBT people face widespread discrimination, subsequently banned the rainbow-themed Swatch watches, warning that owners or sellers could face up to three years in prison.

The authorities had claimed that the watches “could harm… the nation’s interests by promoting, supporting and normalising the LGBTQ movement which is not accepted by the general public”.

In its complaint challenging the seizure, Swatch explained that its products “do not promote any sexual activity, but simply a fun and joyful expression of peace and love”.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled on Monday that the Ministry of Home Affairs must return the watches to Swatch within 14 days, government lawyer Sallehuddin Ali told press agency AFP.

“The judge also said that the prohibition order on the watches was not issued and published until August 2023, and that was after the seizure (of the watches) took place in May. So at the time of the seizure, the applicant (Swatch) had not committed any offence,” he added.

Interior Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry would honour the court order, adding that his legal team would have to “examine the basis of the judgement” before any appeal against the decision.

Adapted from French by DeepL/ac

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