Suspected bride-snatchers arrested in Kyrgyzstan
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 20 November 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Suspected bride-snatchers arrested in Kyrgyzstan, 20 November 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/548ea8f215.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
November 20, 2014
By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service
Authorties in Kyrgyzstan have arrested 11 people on suspicion of bride-snatching, an offense that was rarely prosecuted in the past.
Bishkek city police said on November 20 that six men were arrested on the basis of a complaint by a 40-year-old woman in the capital who accused them of abducting her sister for a forced marriage.
Also on November 20, officials in the northern city of Tokmok said that five local residents had been arrested for allegedly abducting an 18-year-old woman for a forced marriage.
Rights activists say about 12,000 Kyrgyz women and girls are kidnapped and forced into marriage every year.
In 2012, the government launched a campaign against the traditional practice and increased the potential punishment to 10 years in prison.
Some 20 probes into cases related to bride-snatching were launched in Kyrgyzstan last year.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
