All news

Love for all ages, says Kadyrov as Chechen teen's marriage plans spark media frenzy

A number of Russian media reported that 17-year old Luiza Goilabiyeva was allegedly being forced to marry Nazhud Guchigov, the 57-year old chief of a police department

GROZNY, May 14. /TASS/. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Thursday that negative media reports about a local police chief's plans to tie the knot with a 17-year old girl were "ordered by some liberal gentlemen."

"Love is for all ages," Kadyrov said in his Instagram post featuring images of Russian celebrities with a big age gap.

"The girl's parents have blessed this marriage," he said.

A number of Russian media reported that 17-year old Luiza Goilabiyeva was allegedly being forced to marry Nazhud Guchigov, the 57-year old chief of the Nozhai-Yurt district police department.

"The publications are full of lies," the Chechen leader said. "Luiza and her parents are really outraged with privacy intrusion."

"There is no force that could make parents in Chechnya marry their daughter against her will," said Kadyrov who had banned early marriages in Chechnya.

Russian children's right ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said in an Instagram post last week that he had found no confirmation to media reports.

"No crimes have been committed and information about the violation of the underaged girl's rights has not been confirmed," he said.