Chechnya calls for legalization of polygamy

The head of the Chechen leader’s administration Magomed Daudov has spoken out in favor of legalizing polygamy in Russia. According to Daudov, this is a common practice, and therefore it should be recognized by the law.

Daudov told the news website Gazeta.ru that he is an old acquaintance of the local Chechen police chief Nadzhud Guchigov, the 47-year-old who married the 17-year-old Louisa “Kheda” Goilabiyeva last weekend. Daudov was behind the wheel of the car driving the bride to the ceremony.

“I am not a parliament member now, but it would be good if polygamy were legalized. But it has to be in line with Sharia [Islamic law]: if a man can support another wife, why not?” says Daudov. “This is common, so it would be good to recognize it in some way.”

On May 16, 17-year-old high school student Louisa “Kheda” Goilabiyeva married 47-year-old local police chief Nadzhud Guchigov in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya. According to an investigation conducted by Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, Guchigov was already married (and not divorced) at the time of this wedding. According to reports from the ceremony, the marriage to Goilabiyeva was Guchigov’s first officially registered marriage, but his first wife was allegedly present at the wedding. 

Russian law does not allow for the simultaneous official union of a husband or wife to multiple spouses.

Elena Mizulina, chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, said this week that she does not deem it necessary to introduce any kind of legal repercussions for polygamy.

Russian Orthodox church representative Vsevolod Chaplin has said that both punishment for polygamy and legalization of polygamy, as well as the legalization of same-sex marriages, would all be directed at destroying traditional family values.