Summary

  • Not safe to be LGBTQ+ In Nigeria: Due to same-sex people and conduct being banned in Nigeria, visiting this country as an openly gay/lesbian/bi/transgender person is not recommended.
  • Don't break laws in North Korea: Observing its strict social and moral code of conduct is essential for people who come to North Korea.
  • China is super strict: If locals or tourists break Chinese laws, they could face labor camps or hard labor to pay for their crimes.

In many countries, strict rules and harsh punishments belong only to the past. But these things are still a sad reality for a few nations today. Public hangings, laws against pre-marital relationships, and labor camps might sound like the stuff of nightmares, but they are still occurring in certain parts of the world. Although some places may be on the 'chill' side, many still do not fit this description...At all. Therefore, it's best to behave while traveling, especially in the following countries/regions.

Keep reading to find out which countries have the strictest laws and punishments.

UPDATE: 2023/11/18 16:15 EST BY NOAH STAATS

Nigeria May Also Be A Country To Avoid Due To Strict Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws

This article has been refreshed with an additional country where strict laws rule the land: Nigeria in Africa. Although a beautiful nation filled with culture and cuisine galore, Nigeria has become increasingly unsafe for LGBTQ+ travelers and residents. For now, we do not recommend coming here if you identify that way.

It's Not Safe To Be LGBTQ+ In Nigeria

Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria
Photo by Ezekiel Chiedu
A road in Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria

For LGBTQ+ people wanting to travel to Nigeria, this might not be a good idea. Due to mounting violence and legislation against lesbian, gay, trans, and other identifying individuals, Nigeria is no longer a safe travel zone for those people. Same-sex conduct is banned here, meaning if someone is caught in the act or even suspected of being gay/LGBTQ+, they could face prison time, physical abuse, capital punishment, or deportation. Therefore, it's NOT recommended to travel here as an openly-identifying LGBTQ+ person. As unfortunate as it is, this country is listed as NOT safe for 2023 and beyond. These laws could eventually change, but for now, they remain very much in place.

  • Not safe to be LGBTQ+ In Nigeria: Due to same-sex people and conduct being banned in Nigeria, visiting this country as an openly gay/lesbian/bi/transgender person is not recommended.

For any LGBTQ+ vacationers, here are some safe countries to visit instead. Guadalajara in Mexico has also recently been named incredibly friendly to gay, bi, transgender, and lesbian travelers for those wanting a South American trip.

North Korea Punishes Wrongdoers With Hard Labor

Third Tunnel Monument at the site of the Third Infiltration Tunnel in the Demilitarised Zone or DMZ between North Korea and South Korea
via Shutterstock
Third Tunnel Monument at the site of the Third Infiltration Tunnel in the Demilitarised Zone or DMZ between North Korea and South Korea

As a communist country, North Korea implements tough laws and even tougher penalties that locals and visitors have to follow. Typically, those who break the law, which includes speaking out against the government, are subject to sentences in prison camps where they will carry out hard labor for lengthy periods of time. North Korean locals must follow strict laws that enforce a conservative fashion code and prohibit activities such as sexual relationships between non-married couples. Tourists to the country are accompanied by state-assigned “minders” who watch the tourists, ensuring they don’t break any rules.

Following the arrest of a US college student, Otto Warmbier, in early 2016, the American government banned all US citizens from visiting the country. Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in North Korea for taking down a propaganda poster during a short tour of the country. He was returned to the United States within two years in a vegetative state and was subsequently taken off life support by his family.

  • Don't break laws in North Korea: Observing its strict social and moral code of conduct is essential for people who come to North Korea.

Related: 10 Most Dangerous Places To Take A Selfie

Breaking Iran's Religious Laws May Result In Public Hanging

The Ruins of Persepolis, Modern-Day Iran
Photo by mostafa meraji on Unsplash
The Ruins of Persepolis, Modern-Day Iran

The Islamic Sharia Law dictates the governance and rules locals must follow in Iran. The behavior of locals is highly controlled, particularly for women who are not allowed in public unless they adhere to certain conservative dress codes. Alcohol is discouraged in the country, while Western music, including jazz and rock, is strictly forbidden.

Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Iran. According to the website United Against Nuclear Iran, the country executes more people per capita than any other nation. Public executions are still legal in Iran, with the most common methods including hanging, stoning, firing squad, and beheading.

Some of the crimes that attract heavy punishments, ranging from detainment to torture to the death penalty, include same-sex relations, adultery, insulting government officials, and women appearing in public without sufficient head covering.

  • Iran is tremendously religious: People traveling through Iran should be wary that Sharia Law is what the government and police enforce.

You Don’t Want To Break The Law In China, Where Torture And Re-Education Camps Are A Reality

City God Temple, Shanghai, China, during the New Year period
Shutterstock / James Jiao
City God Temple, Shanghai, China, during the New Year period

China is renowned for passing laws that most other countries view as strict, including prohibiting citizens from relocating to forbidding access to the Internet. You don’t want to break the law in China because there are serious prices to pay, including the death penalty. China is notorious for its strict local laws, as well as federal ordinances, so breaking them is not recommended.

Locals can get in trouble for spreading anti-government propaganda. All forms of media are controlled, and discussing topics relating to reform or rebellion is considered a criminal offense. Detainees are known to be tortured, sent to re-education camps, or sentenced to hard labor to pay for their crimes.

  • China is super strict: If locals or tourists break Chinese laws, they could face labor camps or hard labor to pay for their crimes.

Saudi Arabia Practices Tough Social Laws, Especially For Women

Skyline and Abraj Al Bait  in Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Photo 239353953 © Ismail Rabbani Rajo | Dreamstime.com
Skyline and Abraj Al Bait  in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

The laws governing Saudi Arabia are strongly linked to tradition and religion. Most of their social laws apply to women subject to strict rules and restrictions. Saudi women must have a man swear for them in a court of law and obtain permission from a male relative before traveling.

In the highly publicized Qatif Case, an 18-year-old Saudi woman who was kidnapped and assaulted was sentenced to six months in prison and 90 lashes because she was in the car of a male who was not related to her prior to the attack. We do not recommend female travelers come to Saudi Arabia alone.

  • Women in Saudi Arabia must never travel alone: Saudi Arabia's controversial law restricting women from moving freely through the country should be taken very seriously.
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Indonesian Traffickers Face The Firing Squad

Besakih, Bali, Indonesia
Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas
Besakih, Bali, Indonesia.

Indonesia enforces stricter laws than many Western countries, particularly when it comes to drug trafficking. Foreign tourists in Bali have been known to try and get away with smuggling drugs out of the country, only to receive extremely harsh penalties, ranging from 20-year prison sentences to capital punishment.

In Indonesia, the death penalty is carried out by firing squad. Caning is also a legal punishment and is usually carried out in public. Some may consider these laws weird, while tourists should know them regardless.

  • Indonesia's no-tolerance trafficking policy: Indonesia has made it clear they do not allow trafficking drugs, resulting in capital punishment more often than not.