Conflict of Laws Rules in Kazakhstan's International Family Law: Implications for Cross-Border Muslim Marriages
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29240/jhi.v11i2.14068Keywords:
family lawAbstract
This study identifies gaps in the conflict-of-laws framework governing family relations in Kazakhstan, with particular attention to cross-border Muslim marriages. Using comparative legal analysis, legal modelling, and doctrinal analysis, it examines Kazakhstan’s legislation alongside that of France, Germany, Greece, and Japan, selected for their differing approaches to the law applicable to marriage. The comparative findings and resulting typology are assessed against the development of Kazakhstan’s family law. The study finds that the 2011 Family Code shifted from a mixed conflict-of-laws approach towards the exclusive application of Kazakhstani law, creating legal uncertainty for foreign nationals, stateless persons, and parties to cross-border marriages. The absence of specific conflict-of-laws provisions limits the legal framework available to courts when addressing Islamic family law institutions, including mahr as a financial entitlement arising from marriage, the validity of nikah concluded abroad, post-divorce custody under hadana rules, and the recognition of talaq. To address these gaps, the study recommends restoring bilateral conflict-of-laws rules in Kazakhstan’s Family Code and introducing specific provisions governing foreign matrimonial property regimes and the recognition of marriages concluded through religious ceremonies. It contributes to scholarship at the intersection of Islamic family law and private international law by identifying the legal difficulties arising from the interaction between Kazakhstan’s secular legal framework and Islamic matrimonial institutions. The findings highlight the need for clearer rules on applicable law and recognition to improve legal certainty in cross-border family relations.
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