The head of Ingushetia, Mahmud-Ali Kalimatov, instructed the Republican Minister of National Policy and Information Vakha Bekov to «work out the issue» of officially banning marriages in the republic for drug users and people with HIV.
Bekov will do this together with the clergy of Ingushetia.
According to Kalimatov, in order to get married, people need to provide certificates that they do not have HIV and drug addiction. The head of the region believes that in this way it is possible to “counter the spread of drug addiction” and reduce the number of divorces.
According to Kalimatov's press service, the local clergy have already supported the initiative. Bekov noted that the authenticity of the certificates that those who wish to get married will bring will be carefully checked.
According to the minister, additional documents for marriage will be required by September. In addition, the authorities of Ingushetia proposed to fine «parents who deceived into marriage, hiding from the bride's relatives information about their son's drug addiction and other serious illnesses.»
In 2012, the then head of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, already proposed introducing mandatory HIV testing for all men and women who wish to marry in the republic. In 2017, the initiative was promoted by local activists of the All-Russian Popular Front and the Ministry of Health. How it ended then is unknown.
In 2018, Chechnya officially banned marriage without an HIV-free certificate approved by the Ministry of Health.