Chechen leader lends support to polygamy
May 22, 2015
Stating that “we have followed the norms of Islamic law and national traditions,” Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Russia’s semi-autonomous and largely Muslim Chechen Republic, attended the May 16 wedding of a 17-year-old woman to a 47-year-old police chief.
The police chief was reportedly married to another woman, prompting a debate in Russia on polygamy. Newsweek reported that the police chief ordered the family to hand over their daughter.
“Polygamy is illegal in Russia, but Chechnya under Mr. Kadyrov already has something of a notorious reputation for considering federal law optional,” The New York Times reported.
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Further information:
- Chechen Leader’s Advice on Women: Lock Them In (The New York Times)
- The Story Behind a Chechen Wedding That Transfixed Russia and Beyond (Newsweek)
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