Aze.US
A singer’s suggestion to impose large financial penalties for divorce has sparked legal and social debate, with experts warning such measures could reduce marriages rather than prevent family breakdowns.
Public discussion has intensified in Azerbaijan following a proposal by singer Eldaniz Mammadov to introduce substantial financial fines for divorce, an idea he said could help reduce the number of dissolving marriages.
Mammadov referenced what he described as penalties in Turkey ranging from $30,000 to $40,000, suggesting that Azerbaijan could impose fines of up to $50,000 on divorcing couples to encourage family stability.
Legal expert Akram Hasanov said he is unaware of any such legal provision in Turkey and argued that a divorce fine would contradict the principles of a rule-of-law state.
He warned that harsh financial penalties would more likely discourage formal marriage registration rather than lower divorce rates, noting that official marriages are already declining as more couples choose informal unions.
Hasanov attributed the trend to multiple social factors. Some religious citizens consider a religious marriage sufficient without state registration, while others avoid formal marriage to limit property obligations and legal responsibilities. A growing number of couples also prefer cohabitation before marriage.
More broadly, he said the institution of marriage is undergoing significant decline globally, and administrative penalties are unlikely to reverse that shift.
He also linked rising divorce rates to stronger state protections for women, including custody arrangements that often leave children with the mother and disputes over parental access.
Changing economic and social roles are further reshaping family dynamics, as women gain greater financial independence and traditional motivations for marriage weaken.
Under such conditions, Hasanov argued, family stability cannot be enforced through financial punishment.