Members of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on the Tajik authorities to revoke the amendment to the Family Code that restricts the right of foreigners and stateless persons, including migrants, to marry Tajik women.
According to experts, such restrictions are a serious violation of basic human rights, including the right to choose a spouse, the UN News Center reports.
"The Committee takes note of the statement (Tajikistan) that this amendment is designed to protect Tajik women from traffickers. At the same time, the Committee emphasizes that protective measures should never lead to violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to marry and the right to choose a spouse … ", – The Committee's conclusions.
Recall that in 2011 in Tajikistan were amended the Family Code, which made restrictions on marriages with foreigners. According to the adopted amendments, foreigners have the right to marry Tajik citizens living in the country for at least a year. When registering a marriage, the parties are obliged to conclude a marriage contract. In addition, the foreign spouse must purchase housing for their partner in Tajikistan.
On Friday in Geneva, the 93rd session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination ended. Its participants reviewed the periodic reports of Djibouti, Ecuador, Canada, Kuwait, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Russia and Tajikistan on legislative, judicial, administrative and other measures taken to eliminate racial discrimination. Today the members of the Committee published recommendations to these countries.
In the case of Tajikistan, members of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination also condemned the practice of marrying Islamic customs without further registration of the family in vital statistics. This tradition deprives women of many economic rights after the collapse of the family.
Members of the Committee noted the efforts of Tajikistan to prepare textbooks in the languages of national minorities. At the same time, they expressed concern about restrictions on education in Uzbek, Russian, Kyrgyz and Turkmen languages, as well as the lack of Yagonobi and Pamiri languages in the schedules. In addition, members of the Committee were alarmed by the plans for reform, according to which when passing the entrance examinations to universities all applicants will have to write essays in Tajik.
Members of the Committee urged the Tajik authorities to end with discrimination against stateless persons and national minorities. They advised conducting information campaigns in order to combat prejudices and negative stereotypes towards Roma (jigas) and Pamirians.
