Defending marriages to teenage girls, Russia’s ombudsman for children’s rights said that in some parts of the country, 27-year-old women already look like they’re pushing 50. “In the Caucasus emancipation and puberty come earlier, let’s not be prudes.”
Pavel Astakhov, the children's rights ombudsman, made the remarks in response to questions about the wedding of a 17-year-old girl in the Russian republic of Chechnya to a middle-aged police captain, reportedly against her will. Various reports put the groom's age at 57 and 46.
The legal age of consent to marry is 18 under Russia's federal law but can be set lower in certain regions. According to Astakhov, Chechnya's age of consent is 17. "The constitution forbids interfering in citizens' personal business," he added.
Russian women are posting selfies in protest, using the hashtags #wrinkledwoman and #helloastakhov.
"#wrinkledwoman"
Post a Comment