In Uzbekistan, a draft law that bans marriages between close relatives in the second, third and fourth degrees in the collateral line has been submitted for discussion. The amendments to the Family Code provide for a ban on marriages between these relatives, except in cases where the results of a genetic test can confirm the absence of genetic pathologies, Gazeta.uz reports.
Collateral relatives are brothers and sisters, first and second cousins, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces.
The amendments benefited from the practices of other countries, including South Korea, Russia, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ukraine and the United States. The Committee on Family and Women’s Affairs, led by Ozoda Parpibayeva, presented the initiative for public discussion.
Currently, marriages between close relatives in the direct line — with close relatives in the collateral line, including brothers and sisters, full and half-blooded relatives, adoptive parents and adopted children — are prohibited in Uzbekistan.
The legislators propose introducing liability for failure to comply with the rule of premarital medical examination.
This is not the first time that the Republic is going to ban marriages between collateral relatives. This initiative was discussed in 2022.
