Swatch wins Malaysian suit over watches the government said had LGBTQ+ elements

Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur (AP) After a judge ordered the release of 172 Swatch watches that were seized last year because of designs that authorities claimed contained LGBT elements, Swiss watchmaker Swatch won a lawsuit against the Malaysian government on Monday.

In a prompt reply, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution stated that the government will not decide whether to appeal until it has received the court’s whole ruling.

According to the national news agency Bernama, the Kuala Lumpur High Court declared that the timepieces were unlawfully taken without a warrant. According to Bernama, the court ruled Swatch might seek damages if the watches were destroyed and ordered the timepieces to be returned within 14 days.

Swatch representatives were not immediately available for comment.

Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim country, makes same-sex partnerships illegal. Under Islamic law, this is punishable by caning, while under civil laws from the colonial era, sodomy carries a 20-year prison sentence.

In May of last year, authorities searched Swatch stores in malls all throughout Malaysia and confiscated watches from the Pride Collection. The timepieces have a variety of designs; some have straps that are rainbow-colored, while others have six single colors that match the gay pride flag. Swatch denied claims that the watches were dangerous, claiming that their message was one of love and peace.

The government outlawed all Swatch products—including watches, boxes, and wrappers—that featured lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, or queer aspects a few months after the seizure. Concerns that such items were harmful to the nation’s morals led to the inclusion of the ban in a printing law that also covers possession and distribution. Anyone caught in possession of one faces a fine or a maximum three-year jail sentence.

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