Azerbaijan Bans Kin-Marriages: Reasons Revealed

The Parliament of Azerbaijan has approved, in the third and final reading, amendments to the Family Code that prohibit marriage between close relatives. This was announced by Hijran Huseynova, the head of the parliamentary committee on family, women, and children's issues, in an interview with an Azerbaijani information portal.

"This issue directly relates to the protection of the national genofund and the health of future generations," she stated. Huseynova added that marriages between close relatives often lead to mutations, physical, and mental abnormalities. The law is set to come into effect in 2025. During the interim period, extensive awareness-raising activities will be conducted with Azerbaijani citizens, noted the committee chair.

Two points have been added to the article of the code that outlines the circumstances that impede marriage. These stipulate a prohibition on marriage between the children of brothers and sisters who share common biological grandparents. Marriages between cousins and siblings with a biological kinship will also be prohibited. Additionally, a clause allowing for the reduction of the legal marriage age of minors wishing to marry, subject to valid reasons, has been removed from the Family Code.

Earlier, it was reported that in Georgia, 78 deputies voted in favor of the adoption of a bill on