Bride Kidnapping has Largely Disappeared in North Caucasus but Remains Widespread in Some Parts of Central Asia, Moscow Expert Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Feb. 10 – Bride kidnapping, in which a man seizes a woman and then makes her his wife against her will, is a practice that was widespread in rural areas of the North Caucasus until a decade or so ago but has been largely wiped out there by the combined efforts of civil authorities and Muslim leaders, Nikita Mendkovich says.

            But unfortunately, it remains widespread in rural areas of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Karakalpakstan, according to the Moscow expert on Central Asia who suggests that as many as one marriage in three in those areas may involve real bride kidnaping or the acting out, with the agreement of the participants, of this practice which has its roots in nomadic traditions.

            Mendkovich’s comments about the North Caucasus (stanradar.com/news/full/59183-pohischenie-nevest-v-xxi-veke-v-srednej-azii.html) may be overly optimistic and intended to make Russian-controlled regions look better in comparison. (On the continuing impact of bride kidnapping in the North Caucasus, see windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2024/10/oppression-of-north-caucasian-women-now.html). 

            But however that may be, bride kidnapping remains a serious problem in Central Asia as evidenced by the statement Kazakhstan’s president Kasym-Jomart Tokayev made following a recent scandal involving that practice which Mendkovich quotes extensively at the beginning of his article.

            According to Kazakhstan’s president, bride kidnapping is both “dangerous” and “inflicts harm on the reputation of our nation” because the practice “inevitably leads to tragedies Always.” Consequently, Kazakh law enforcement personnel must step up their efforts to wipe out this plague.

            Unfortunately, the Russian expert says, this is not always the case not only in Central Asia but in parts of Russia to which Central Asians have come to work. What he doesn’t mention is that the Central Asian countries have laws against this practice, however poorly enforced, but the Russian Federation does not, preferring to prosecute under other paragraphs of the law.