The legality of sex dolls

Owning physical dolls may seem like a commonplace thing in modern times, especially since we live in a modern world where social mores are gradually opening up and more and more people are working to challenge religious beliefs.

However, in some regions and countries, physical dolls can still get people into serious trouble, either by being seized and destroyed or by breaking the law. Perhaps out of religion or belief, they believe that human beings are sacred and should coexist with human beings, and that these artificial humanoid figures are low class, tasteless and a huge taboo.

As of now, sex dolls are legal in most countries around the world, but of course, solid dolls for minors are not allowed.This is the country where sex dolls are currently legal.

Areas where sex dolls are legal

Legal: Albania, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Honduras, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland Sweden, Thailand, USA, Ukraine, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, UK, Norway, Australia (must be over 140cm).

Sex dolls are illegal in the following countries, and if you are located in one of the following areas and have purchased a sex doll, you may face a lot of trouble.

Areas where sex dolls are not legal

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is the second most visited tourist destination in the Middle East, with more than 20 million tourists visiting the beautiful sand dunes and ancient tombs every year. However, in addition to banning alcohol and pork, this country also bans solid dolls. According to Islamic law, solid dolls and other related items are forbidden because they are products of sinful desire.
However, there are so-called “halal stores” in Mecca, but instead of selling dolls, they sell items including scented candles, oils and creams designed to improve the atmosphere and increase attractiveness.

Iraq and Iran

Both Iraq and Iran are Muslim countries with absolutely zero tolerance for behavior such as alcoholism, drug use and physical dolls. As both countries are strict and tend to keep their laws and administrations a secret from the outside world, punishments are relatively light, but confiscation is inevitable.
There was an incident in 2017 where Iraqi forces discovered a basement filled with alcohol, soft drugs and solid dolls and determined that both Iraqi and Iranian citizens were involved in the trade. The exact details of the punishment have not been disclosed to the public, but it is safe to say that these individuals will not be easily released.

Kuwait

Physical dolls are rumored to be legalized in Kuwait, however, it hasn’t happened by 2021. Customs had reportedly found related express shipments, but they were immediately destroyed, and the person who ordered the goods was then taken in for questioning and fined financially for breaking the law.

Mauritius

The Middle Eastern country is not the only part of the world with so-called “abstinence-only” laws; Africa also has clear laws against the importation of solid dolls.
Mauritius is an island nation and is known for its beautiful beaches, coral reefs and animals such as monkeys and turtles that roam the streets at will. It is by far one of the most popular countries to visit, however, the locals are very strict about what they bring into the country and solid dolls are one of the prohibited items. In Mauritius, if you are found buying a solid doll, you may risk up to a year in jail and 100,000 Mauritian rupees.

Mexico

Couldn’t expect to see this country on the list could you? The impression is that Mexico is warm and welcoming country, but there are some things that you cannot do in Mexico and one of them is to buy physical dolls.
On the other hand, stores of the same category exist in Mexico, however, you can only buy lingerie and some fetish items there, such as various leather goods and eye masks.

Maldives

Tropical islands are definitely everyone’s dream destination, however physical dolls are also banned in the Maldives. In fact, they are confiscated during courier checks and the authorities may even sentence you to jail, once a certain man was sentenced to 6 months in prison for possessing a doll.

Panama

The Panamanian law in question is a bit strange, to say the least. It’s unclear whether or not physical dolls are actually illegal, or what the penalties are for breaking the law. However, it seems that there are no physical dolls in this country, and no companies in the industry claim to have sold their products to Panama.

Thailand

Thailand and Mexico are the two countries that surprised me the most. This is because, in a country known as the “city that never sleeps” and “a man’s paradise”, solid dolls are not allowed, but they have the largest “third population” in the world.
Thailand is rich in culture, adventure and cuisine, and you might think that their society is free and open because gender reassignment is so common there. However, this is not the case, as solid dolls are illegal here and are classified as prohibited items in Thailand, and although the penalties are not severe, they still carry a fine.

Vietnam

In 2011, Vietnam’s General Department of Customs announced that it would not allow physical dolls in the country.
Although the law has now been “softened” and stores exist, in the short term the country is still excluded, even if the penalties are not as harsh as in some of the countries mentioned above.

Malaysia

Malaysia is a very popular tourist destination because shopping is surprisingly cheap.
While it may seem like a laid back place, owning and selling solid dolls is illegal under Malaysian criminal law. Unlike Vietnam and Thailand, in Malaysia you will be fined and sentenced to up to 3 years in prison if you are caught with any solid doll related items.

Norway (solid dolls up to 125cm)

If you live in Norway, you are allowed to buy solid dolls, but there is a law that you need to be aware of if you don’t want to end up paying a hefty fine or even going to jail for 3 years.
Back in 2017, the Norwegian Supreme Court signed a law banning citizens from purchasing solid dolls under 125cm, due to concerns about the risk of child abuse with smaller solid dolls.

India

India, the exotic country that is also the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, has no shortage of strange legalities when it comes to products such as physical dolls.
The Indian Penal Code states that any book, drawing, figure or object that provokes inappropriate thoughts and behavior shall be considered obscene, and then it will be banned. This means that physical dolls can be legal or illegal, depending on how they look and how they are sold.

Brazil

Brazil is another surprising country where the country of origin of the passionate samba would reject solid dolls. It must be stated, however, that there are no clear laws or regulations in the country that clearly state the legality of solid dolls.
Solid dolls are not available in Brazil, and there is a related website that clearly says they are illegal, but there is no further information. On the other hand, there is another article stating that Brazil and Norway have similar laws and that only solid dolls of a limited size are available for purchase.