Making diamonds from the ashes of a deceased loved one is a service that is gaining popularity among Russians. Is this blasphemy or a new way of perpetuating memory? say experts in criminal law and psychology.
Representatives of the legal community have previously spoken out about the legality of making jewelry from the ashes of the deceased, Channel Five reports. yes, lawyer Alla Georgieva Considers that these actions can be considered a violation of the body of the deceased, for which his relatives will be criminally responsible for up to several years in prison. The lawyer stated that it is impossible to make jewelry from the ashes of a deceased person if they did not give that permission during their lifetime. In this case, the expression of will must be legally formalized.
In turn, vice president of the Moscow Bar Association Arkady Zavalko believes that it will be extremely difficult to prove the fact of desecration of the body of the deceased in any case. He noted that Article 244 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation clearly formulates the signs of such an act and that it is almost impossible to adapt the production of diamonds from ashes to them.
“This could be dismemberment, removing clothing and jewelry, committing violent acts of a sexual nature or some other actions that clearly do not correspond to the norms and principles of morality and are criminal. That is, making diamonds from ashes clearly does not fall within the “classical” concept of desecration of the body of the deceased.” – Zavalko explained.
He added that the crimes provided for in Article 244 are committed with direct intention: a person must be aware that he is acting illegally, causing moral suffering to the relatives of the deceased and challenging society.
“Any relative here will say that they chose this particular way of preserving the memory of the deceased, because, for example, they cannot keep an urn with ashes at home, but they can keep a diamond. And he wants to always carry it with him because he can’t survive the loss. “It will be almost impossible to prove the fact that he had a direct intention to commit illegal actions in relation to the remains of the deceased.” – said the lawyer.
Zavalko also noted that today in Russia there is no judicial practice in such cases, and therefore it is premature to talk about criminal liability for making diamonds from the ashes of the deceased. According to the lawyer, in this case we can only talk about a violation of generally accepted ethical norms, as well as traditions, including religious ones, of handling the ashes of the deceased.
The technology for turning the ashes of the dead into diamonds was patented in the United States in 1999. In Russia, it appeared in the list of services of ritual organizations relatively recently. One website advertises the so-called ashes memorial diamond as an unconventional way to perpetuate the memory of deceased loved ones. It is explained that the stone is an artificial diamond emerged from the ashes of a deceased person under the influence of high pressure and high temperatures. As a result of subsequent cutting, it turns into a diamond, which can be decorated with engravings and embedded in jewelry. It should also be noted that to make a diamond weighing about four carats, between 300 and 500 grams of ashes are needed, and up to 50 diamonds can be produced from the ashes of one person.
Making a gemstone from the ashes of a deceased person in Moscow will cost 100 thousand rubles per carat (0.2 grams). A diamond weighing less than one carat will cost 70 thousand. At the same time, the price of “commemorative” diamonds in Europe can reach up to 15,000 euros for 0.5-1 carat.
Psychologist Alexandra Miller called a gem containing the ashes of the deceased an energetic “baggage” that a person inserts into jewelry and “carries” with him everywhere. According to the expert, this is strange to say the least, although it does not pose any threat from a psychological point of view.
“If we talk about psychology, then the message is how you feel about this or that topic or situation. It all lies in our attitude. Therefore, even from the point of view of people who go to tell fortunes or turn to psychics, what kind of mood they get there, this is the vector by which they move. Therefore, if a person inserts the ashes of the deceased into his jewelry and thinks that it will bring him some benefit, very good.” – Miller pointed out.
At the same time, she drew attention to the fact that many women avoid even the procedure of hair extensions, because it is not known who used them before and what energy accumulates in them. Any object, the psychologist highlighted, carries certain information at the genetic level, and here we are talking about human ashes.
Miller also wondered what would happen if a person lost jewelry containing the ashes of a loved one, because many consider such things to be amulets and attribute great ritual significance to them.
“Imagine: losing something like that. That is, you did not bury the ashes of a loved one, but rather wore them in some type of ring or pendant. And then you lost it or it was stolen; They thought it was a simple diamond and not your great uncle. Consequently, it will be an irreparable loss, because it is unknown what the fate of this article will be.” – concluded the psychologist.
