In Chechnya, over nine years of work by the commission for resolving family conflicts, 3,038 out of 6,020 previously divorced married couples returned to living together. The outlet Kavkazsky Uzel drew attention to these figures. Journalists and human rights defenders say that in many cases such “reunification” happens under pressure.
According to the Grozny TV channel, since July 2017 the commission has carried out 25,124 inspections. As a result, it identified 6,020 divorced couples. After the commission’s involvement, 3,038 families decided to restore their relationship, 2,344 former spouses refused to reunite, and another 905 reportedly could not renew their relationship “due to religious canons.”
How the commission works
Commissions for resolving family conflicts in the republic were created in the summer of 2017 on the instructions of Chechen head Ramzan Kadyrov. They include local police officers, district officials, and qadis. The commissions receive information on registered marriages under an agreement with civil registry offices.
According to Radio Svoboda, the work of these bodies is often formal in nature and accompanied by pressure. Former spouses, especially women, may agree to reconcile against their own wishes.
Human rights defenders say women often agree to “reconciliation” in order to preserve the ability to see their children, since after divorce courts usually leave the children with the father.
Rights advocates add that forcing someone to return to a broken family can be especially traumatic for women, including in cases where domestic violence was the reason for the divorce.