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

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

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.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

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.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

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