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

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

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.

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.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

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...

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

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. 

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.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, 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