DUSHANBE, January 26, 2011, Asia-Plus — Members of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) have endorsed amendments to the country’s family code that tighten requirements for Tajik/non-Tajik marriages.
A regular sitting of the second session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation, resided over by its speaker, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on January 26.
Presenting the bill requiring amendments to the family code, Deputy Minister of Justice, Abdumannon Kholiqov, noted that amendments were aimed, first of all, at protecting rights of Tajik women marrying foreign nationals or stateless persons as well as their children from those marriages.
“Almost 2,000 Tajik nationals have married citizens of thirty countries of the world over the past two years and more than 600 of those marriages have broke down,” said the deputy minister, “Divorced citizens of our country are not protected in terms of getting alimony or being provided with dwelling.”
Amendments made to the family code tighten to certain extent requirements for Tajik nationals’ marriages with foreign citizens and stateless persons. Thus, foreign citizen or stateless person cannot enter into a marriage with Tajik woman without marital agreement, without one year of Tajik residency, and without accepting commitment to provide future wife and children with their own dwelling.
The Majlisi Namoyandagon members unanimously endorsed the bill.
