Swiss watchmaker Swatch has won a suit against the Malaysian government after a court ordered the return of 172 Swatch watches seized last year due to designs that authorities said bore LGBT elements.

Swiss watchmaker Swatch has successfully challenged the Malaysian government over the seizure of 172 watches displaying LGBTQ-inspired designs. The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the watches were confiscated in May last year without a warrant and mandated their return within 14 days.

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -A Malaysian court ordered the government on Monday to return rainbow-coloured watches and accessories made by Swatch Group that were seized last year for designs celebrating LGBTQ rights, a prosecutor told Reuters.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the rainbow-themed timepieces were illegally confiscated from mall stores last year.

Swiss watchmaker Swatch won a lawsuit against Malaysia’s Home Ministry over the latter’s seizure of 172 Pride-themed watches. The Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the ministry on Monday to return the watches within 14 days after its ruling,

A Malaysian court has ordered the government to return dozens of Swatch watches seized by authorities over their designs celebrating LGBTQ pride. The Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday ruled that the Ministry of Home Affairs should return the 172 rainbow-themed watches after finding that they had been seized illegally without a search warrant.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court has ordered the Home Ministry to return the 172 Swatch watches, worth US$14,545, within 14 days of Monday’s court ruling.

The High Court here has ordered the government to return the 172 Swatch watches, including the Pride Collection series, seized by home ministry officers last year. Justice Amarjeet Singh held that the home ministry acted against the law in seizing the watches,

After a collection of Pride watches was confiscated by Malaysia's government, watchmaker Swatch has now won a lawsuit against the country.

A court ruled the government, which said the watches had "LGBT elements", did not have authority to seize them.

The Malaysian government has been ordered to return hundreds of watches, made in the different colours of the rainbow, after seizing them for containing “LGBT elements.” A court in the Southeast Asian country ordered the government to return them to Swiss watchmaker Swatch after they were seized in May 2023.