Dying has been 'illegal' in this Spanish town for 25 years: Here's the bizarre reason why

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hoever thought that out of all the things law could prohibit one from doing, dying would be one? But it seems new times call for new laws, and this one seems to be the most bizarre yet.

In a town in Spain, dying is 'illegal.' Why? Find out below!Lanjarón is a tiny village in the Granada province in Andalusia, Spain. It is illegal for the residents of the village to die, due to a law set by former mayor Jose Rubio about 25 years ago. Talk about following laws like these for years!In 1999, Rubio provided a declaration that urged citizens of Lanjarón "to take utmost care of their health so they do not die until the town hall takes the necessary steps to acquire land suitable for our deceased to rest in glory," as per Deseret News.“It is hereby forbidden to die in Lanjaron,” the edict added, setting the policy in stone.Why such a law, you ask? Well, according to reports at the time, the mayor was being pressurised to quickly solve the overcrowding problem in the local cemetery, which had been an issue in the town for years.Instead of working at speed to resolve the issue, the mayor came up with the bizarre law and prohibited people from dying in the town.

“I am just a mayor,” he said. “Above me there is God, who is ultimately the one who runs things.”“Everyone has taken the edict with a sense of humour and a strong desire to comply with it,” said Rubio back then.While it remains unclear if the town did end up getting an expanded cemetery, 26 years later, it still has only one graveyard within the municipal limits.Home to almost 4,000 residents, Lanjarón is best known as a wellness destination popular for its mineral-rich springs.

Instead of hotspots like Barcelona and Majorca, people are flocking towards this hidden travel spot, and thus it has been increasing in fame over social media, with people bringing the law back into virality.

Netizens react to the viral law

Gen Z TikTokers who have been travelling through the town have been making reels and videos about the law making dying an 'illegal' act."The idea, though ridiculously extreme, was to encourage people to take care of themselves.

Not bad after all," wrote a person on X.Others, of course, came up with snarky comments for the bizarre rule writing, "Why didn't anyone think of that before? So simple!" and "Imagine getting fined for dying—Lanjarón really said, 'Not today!"Some humorously imagined the penalty for breaking such a law, "I bet the penalty for dying was the death sentence or a lifetime in jail?? 🤣🤣🤣"What's interesting is that this isn't the first time such a ban has been made in a town.

Even before Lanjarón, Longyearbyen in Norway forbade residents from dying in 1950, and it has been a law ever since.This is because in the 20th century, researchers found that the dead buried under the ground were not decomposing at all due to the region's subarctic climate. When the scientists tested the bodies, they found live samples of the 1917 influenza virus, and as a result, not only was the cemetery closed to prevent the spread of the disease, but dying was also banned.