Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Parents who organized the wedding of their underage children in Bukhara were brought to administrative responsibility, the press service of the Children’s Ombudsman of Uzbekistan stated.

Earlier, it was reported that the wedding of a boy born in 2008 and a girl born in 2007 took place on 29 June in Bukhara with the mutual consent of both families of the minors.

Following investigative actions, the investigative group of the Karakul District Police Department referred the case against the parents to court on 2 July.

Law enforcement agencies requested the court to hold the parents accountable under Article 47-3 of the Administrative Code, which concerns violations of the law on marriage age or the procedure for concluding marriage.

According to the court’s decision, the parents were fined 7 sizes of basic estimated value, which now makes up 2.38 million soums.

It is noted that the wedding was not registered with the civil registry office (ZAGS) and did not include a religious ceremony (nikah). Only the wedding ceremony itself was conducted.

According to the Family Code of Uzbekistan, the marriage age for men and women is 18 years. Violation of this provision of the law completely contradicts the rights of the child to education, healthcare, and harmonious physical, mental, and spiritual development, emphasized the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman.