Authorities in Uzbekistan have implemented stricter legislative measures aimed at combating early marriages and violations of established marital procedures. The newly enacted regulations introduce significantly higher financial penalties for individuals who bypass legal registration requirements or facilitate unions involving underage persons. Officials claim these policies are designed to safeguard minor rights and enforce strict adherence to family law.

Under the updated legal framework, entering into actual marital relations with an individual who has not reached the legal age of marriage now carries a fine ranging from 10 to 15 base calculation units (BCU), an increase from the previous 5 to 10 BCU range. Furthermore, parents or legal guardians who arrange marriages for underage dependents face escalated fines ranging from 20 to 25 BCU, compared to the former 7 to 15 BCU limits.

The legislation also targets religious marriage ceremonies conducted without prior state registration. Performing a religious wedding ritual for individuals whose marriages are not officially registered—including minors—now incurs a heavy penalty of 30 to 50 BCU, a substantial jump from the previous 15 to 30 BCU threshold. This move attempts to curb the widespread practice of religious-only unions that bypass legal oversight and civil protections.

Alongside these punitive measures, the state reportedly plans to introduce incentives for more mature marriages. Starting in 2027, couples who marry for the first time at age 21 or older and possess financial independence are purportedly promised additional state support. Current statistical data indicates that approximately 40 percent of all marriages in Uzbekistan are currently concluded by young people aged 18 to 19, a trend officials view with growing concern.

Source: www.gazeta.uz