Malaysia court allows Swatch to contest seizure of LGBTQ+ watches

SWATCH Group’s Malaysian unit received court permission to challenge the Malaysian government’s seizure of its pride-themed watches.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court on Wednesday (Aug 23) allowed the Swiss watchmaker to initiate a judicial review to quash the seizures.

Malaysia’s home ministry had contended the watches contained “LGBTQ” lettering and that the timepieces promoted the LGBTQ+ movement. The South-east Asian nation also made owning one of Swatch’s rainbow watches punishable by up to three years in prison, because of their pride theme.

Same-sex intercourse and marriage are outlawed in the majority-Muslim country.

Swatch had sought a court order to cancel the seizures, which took place in May, and the return of the 172 watches worth 64,795 ringgit (S$18,892). It named the secretary-general of the home ministry, the minister, the government and the ministry’s enforcement division secretary as respondents in its lawsuit filed on Jun 24. BLOOMBERG