DUSHANBE -- Tajik authorities punished 103 parents in the first half of 2019 for their children's truancy and marrying off their underage daughters, Asia-Plus reported Friday (July 19), citing the country's prosecutor general's office.
Tajikistan's minimum age of marriage for women is 18.
In addition, authorities fined 2,230 parents 165 TJS ($18) each for failing to maintain their children's attendance at school, said an official source from the office.
Tajikistan requires children between the ages of 7 and 16 to attend school.
Preventing children from attending school is punishable by up to two years' imprisonment, while marrying off underage girls can result in six months' imprisonment or two years' hard labour.
Allowing children to complete their education and preventing girls from being married off before they can stand up for themselves have been considered ways to prevent extremism.
