Criminal Circumcision Case in Germany

Teresa Miguel-Stearns

On June 26, 2012 the Landgericht Köln (Cologne Regional Court) released an opinion on male circumcision.  The court ruled that circumcision violates boys' rights to physical integrity. Thus, while a boy might consent to the procedure later in life, his parents' consent cannot trump the boy's right.

The decision in publicly available in German and a translation has recently been issued.  The translation is unofficial and abbreviated, but will provide you with the court's reasoning.  Additional information can be found in the Library of Congress's News and Events blog: Global Legal Monitor. 

Further legal research can best be conducted via the library's subscription to Juris.  Login information is available on the Inside page, under Library Database Passwords.  You are also free to contact me directly.

                                                                                                          --Ryan 

 

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