Laws and regulations serve a purpose. There are some that may sound ridiculous (like there are Chinese monks who can’t reincarnate without permission, or that under-14s in the UK must practice archery every day), but others that seem like jokes make sense. For example, in one Spanish town it is prohibited to leave laundry buckets on the terrace. Also, dogs bark at night.

It’s a common sense approach, but it’s also interesting that there is a law regarding this. It’s as interesting as places where dying is forbidden. It sounds like a bad joke but it actually makes sense and there are many municipalities and places where it is illegal to die.

If you die I condemn you. Let’s go to France, specifically to a small town in the southwest of the country called Sarpourenx, with fewer than 300 inhabitants. Gérard Lalanne was mayor and issued the following notice to residents in 2008:

“Anyone who does not have a plot in the cemetery and wishes to be buried in Sarpourenx is prohibited from dying in the community.” So far, “What is this guy saying?” You might think, but the crux of the matter was Lalanne’s final warning: “Criminals will be punished in the most severe way. It may be a source of laughter for some, but not for them.” Me.” What is the reason for this threat and ban? Days ago, an administrative court declared that the purchase of private land adjacent to the municipal cemetery for expansion purposes was not justified.

As a protest it’s ridiculous. It wasn’t the first time a French city declared it illegal to die there. In 2000 the seaside town of Le Lavandou also declared it illegal to die there, but, as in Sarpourenx, this was a protest over lack of space in the cemetery.

Frustrated by the number of rejected proposals to build a new cemetery, the town’s mayor decided to approve this symbolic measure banning residents from dying if they had not yet purchased a plot of land. As a joke, the press at the time claimed that the measure was working because no one had died since it was approved.

lanjaron. After evaluating these two cases in France, it must be said that the death ban is nothing new. One of the first cases occurred on the Greek island of Delos, where death is prohibited for religious reasons. However, currently most of these bans are of a symbolic nature to protest the lack of space in cemeteries.

In Spain, we also had our share of the ban; The Lanjarón case in 1999 was famous. Because the cemetery was so full, any of its 4,000 residents were prohibited from dying until city officials found land to build or expand the cemetery. José Rubio, who was mayor at the time, said there were complaints from priests, florists, grave diggers and funeral homes, but even his political opponents met it with humor and a strong desire to “follow the law.”

little joke. There have also been much more serious cases, such as in the French city of Douai, population 40,000; There are not enough doctors here, and it is declared that dying at home is illegal, as the body can only be transported to another location. If a doctor has a signature, it is a difficult task due to his condition. There is no room for comedy here because there are people dying and being kept in their homes waiting for the doctor to come out and certify the death.

health problem. Claims aside, there are situations in the world where these bans mean something beyond criticism. For example, in Longyearbyen, Norway, it is illegal to die not because of space, but because bodies do not decompose directly. This is a recommendation that the local government put forward in 1950, because with temperatures this low, if someone died of an infectious disease, it was very likely that their disease would not die with them.

Currently, if someone from Longyearbyen dies, they are sent to the mainland and buried there. And this is not unfounded alarm: During an exhumation in 2000, scientists found samples of the Spanish flu that devastated Europe in 1918. The species became extinct, but remained in excellent condition in bodies exhumed and buried in locations known to us. …can be thought of as a freezer.

Symbolism. Protests and public responsibility aside, there are some places where it is illegal to die for religious reasons. An example of this is Itsukushima, a Japanese island that is considered a sacred place and where it has been illegal to die since 1978 to preserve its purity. Due to the advanced state of pregnancy, they must leave the island.

And of course there are many legends; For example, you cannot die in the British Parliament because, due to its status as a royal building, if you die in this area they will have to bury you with all your belongings. honors of the state.

Pictures | philipsakwari

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