DUSHANBE, January 11, 2016, Asia-Plus -- The government has prepared amendments to the country’s law on registration of acts of civil status and family code and they have been sent for consideration to the parliament.

A source in the government says the amendments offered by the government to the family code and the law on registration of acts of civil status, in particular, require couples who want to marry to undergo a mandatory medical examination.

The legislation reportedly aims to prevent close relatives from marrying each other.

We will recall that the push to mandate the exams comes after President Emomali Rahmon in January this year instructed the government to ban consanguineous marriages – marriages between first cousins and other blood relations – which he blamed for causing the majority of disabilities among Tajik children.

Under 2006 legislation, genetic and virginity tests are currently available free-of-charge in Tajikistan – but they are not mandatory.