August 08, 2023

No HIV Test, No Vows


No HIV Test, No Vows
Nicholas Gercken, Unsplash.

The Russian Republic of Ingushetia has moved to forbid marriages of drug users and HIV-positive individuals. 

The republic's leader, Mahmud-Ali Kalimatov, has directed the Minister of National Policy and Information, Vakha Bekov, to address the implementation of an official ban on marriages for drug users and individuals with HIV in the region.

As per Kalimatov's proposal, couples will be required to present certificates confirming their HIV-negative and drug-free status before getting married. The regional leader apparently believes that this measure will effectively combat drug addiction and lead to a decline in divorce rates.

Back in 2012, then-head of Ingushetia Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, put forth a proposal to implement compulsory HIV testing for individuals planning to marry within the republic. In 2017, local activists from the All-Russian People's Front and the Ministry of Health further advocated for the initiative. But the outcome was never disclosed.

Minister Bekov emphasized the meticulous verification process for the authenticity of marriage certificates submitted by prospective couples. Furthermore, Ingushetia authorities have put forth a proposition to impose fines on people who deceive partners into marriage by concealing crucial information about their drug addiction or other severe illnesses.

In 2011, Chechnya implemented compulsory prenuptial HIV testing, following similar requirements found in Central Asian countries like Tajikistan. Countries such as China, Nigeria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia also have comparable mandates in place for prospective couples. Human Rights Watch said that “international research suggests that mandatory testing undermines human rights and is potentially detrimental to public health."

You Might Also Like

The Hygiene Hindrance
  • March 31, 2023

The Hygiene Hindrance

As a strange form of punishment, Alexei Navalny was reportedly placed in a cell with a prisoner who has bad hygiene. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955