The African nation of Malawi has proposed making it illegal to fart in public, according to reports receiving widespread international attention.
In addition to the reported ban on passing gas, the Local Courts Bill of 2010 also deals with citizens who hinder the burial of dead bodies as well as people who pretend to be fortune tellers, according to Malawi media reports.
Although the country’s opposition leader, John Tembo, has raised concerns that the nation’s justice system will be unable to handle the expected influx of cases, the bill has generated mixed feelings in Malawi. One Malawian quoted as saying: “How can this government criminalize the release of intestinal gases…even if it’s in public or it has an accompanying sound which is boring,” while a supporter described the bill as “welcome.”
Original article via Nyasa Times (Malawi)
Ed. Note: This story has been updated here.
