"Do Not Marry Your Relatives"... In This Country, Where 25% of Marriages Are Between Blood Relatives, Even Distant Kinship Marriages May Be Banned

[Financial News] The government of the Republic of Uzbekistan has introduced a bill to further tighten the ban on marriages between blood relatives.
According to The Times of Central Asia and other sources on the 30th of last month, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan has recently drafted a bill prohibiting marriages between relatives within the eighth degree of kinship.
The bill includes provisions banning marriages between uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews, and men and women of the same family lineage within the eighth degree of kinship. Violators may face fines or up to two years of reform through labor.
However, if a future spouse is technically considered a relative but was adopted in the past and has no biological relationship, the marriage will be permitted.
This legislation was influenced by research findings that revealed genetic risks associated with consanguineous marriages.
According to Jamin.uz, researchers at the state-run Advanced Technology Research Institute (CAT) in the Republic of Uzbekistan recently announced in a report that they had identified dozens of new genetic mutations among Uzbek citizens.
The research team found that only second-born children carried genetic mutations, and about 86% of children possessed at least one damaged gene. This is twice the international average.
The CAT Research Team cited the high prevalence of consanguineous marriages in the Republic of Uzbekistan as the cause.
Current family law in the Republic of Uzbekistan prohibits marriage between direct ancestors and descendants or between step-siblings. However, in some regions, it is reported that about 25% of married couples are blood relatives.
Experts warn that genetic mutations not only increase the likelihood of hereditary disorders but also raise the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
The CAT Research Team has recommended that public health authorities introduce a system requiring couples planning to marry to undergo genetic testing.
Meanwhile, the government of the Republic of Uzbekistan has published the bill on its own platform to gather public opinion before proceeding with the legislative process.
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Soo-yeon Reporter