One’s wedding day is widely considered to be one of the happiest days of one’s life.
Not in the Rostov region of southern Russia, where authorities have banned laughter at civil marriage ceremonies.
The new decree, which took effect on Monday, also forbids drinking alcohol and rearranging furniture at marriage registry offices.
It stipulates that civil marriage ceremonies should be held in a ceremonial hall at a prearranged time and date — not exceeding 40 minutes — with the Russian flag and coat of arms present.
Loud conversations and exclamations are explicitly prohibited in addition to laughter, as is the wearing of dirty shoes and outerwear or carrying large bags and backpacks.
“Yes, marriage is a joyful occasion, but you shouldn’t get carried away. It is permissible to smile, but there is nothing funny in the ceremony — this is a solemn, tender occasion,” Olga Isaenko, who heads the Rostov region’s registry office, told the Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid, noting that such restrictions have always existed informally.
Eating, drinking alcohol, smoking, walking around the marriage hall and moving pieces of furniture and floral arrangements round out the region’s list of now-outlawed marital procedures.
Photography, videography and musical accompaniment are still allowed, however.
Isaenko said that there are no formal punishments in place for violating the decree, but that extreme cases such as disrupting a ceremony while intoxicated can result in prosecution.
The regional decree isn’t the first attempt to stifle laughter in Russia. In 2019, authorities in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia attempted to crack down on loud laughter with a PSA campaign in 2019.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
