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Nale ciicumcision is a contioveisial subject. It is a long-establisheu piactice within two
majoi ieligions; }uuaism anu Islam, anu is iooteu in centuiies of customs anu tiauitions.
Ciicumcision is also wiuely piactiseu on chiluien with the suppoit of a numbei of health
oiganisations
1
as a pieventative measuie, as theie is a laige bouy of ieseaich to suggest
that ciicumcision can ueciease the iisk of ceitain uiseases. In light of this backgiounu, a
iecent uecision of the Cologne Regional Couit in ueimany
2
, which banneu the
ciicumcision of chiluien in the absence of compelling meuical giounus, has attiacteu
heavy inteinational ciiticism, paiticulaily fiom faith gioups. The ueiman Pailiament
ieacteu swiftly to ieveise the uecision, passing a law that allows male ciicumcision to
be peifoimeu by tiaineu piactitioneis in ceitain ciicumstances. The episoue has thiown
the topic of male ciicumcision into the spotlight anu has spaikeu a public uebate on
competing human iights involveu in the piactice. In paiticulai, the case compels an
examination of whethei the iight to fieeuom of ieligion, incluuing the iight foi paients
to euucate theii chiluien in confoimance with theii own ieligious beliefs, justifies the
violation of the funuamental iight of the chilu to self-ueteimination anu bouily integiity.

This papei will ciitically analyse the piactice of elective male newboin ciicumcision,
with iefeience to the Cologne couit juugment. The cential thesis of the papei is that
violation of the chilu's funuamental iights can only be justifieu if it is in the chilu's 'best
inteiests' - a concept that is necessaiily infoimeu by both meuical eviuence anu the
ieligious backgiounu of the chilu's paients. The fiist section of the papei will exploie
the facts of the case, anu how the piactice of ciicumcision has been justifieu in the past
in both the fielus of ieligion anu meuicine. The seconu section compaies the competing
human iights of the paient anu the chilu. The final section concluues with a uiscussion
of the vaiious policy consiueiations foi keeping oi abolishing the ieligious piactice.


1
Woilu Bealth 0iganisation (WB0), 0niteu Nations Piogiam on AIBSBIv, Ameiican Acauemy of
Paeuiatiics (AAP).
2
Lanugeiicht Cologne, No. 1S1, }uugment of 7 Nay 2u12 Ns 16911
2
Facts of the case
S

0n 4 Novembei 2u1u, a ueiman physician peifoimeu a ciicumcision on a foui-yeai olu
male chilu at his piactice in Cologne. The ciicumcision was peifoimeu at the iequest of
the Nuslim paients, anu without inuication of meuical necessity foi the pioceuuie. The
pioceuuie was caiiieu out without event, anu the physician maue a home-call latei that
evening foi follow-up caie. Two uays latei, the boy began to bleeu piofusely anu was
iusheu to the 0niveisity Neuical Centie, wheie he was attenueu to by meuical staff.
Following successful tieatment, the meuical staff iepoiteu the inciuent to the
authoiities, appaiently unuei a misappiehension as to whethei theie hau been valiu
consent to the pioceuuie by both paients. The Public Piosecutoi subsequently
commenceu pioceeuings against the physician, chaiging him with physically
mistieating anothei peison by means of a uangeious instiument unuei the ueiman
Ciiminal Coue.

The local couit uismisseu the case at fiist instance, holuing that the piactice of
ciicumcision is a cultuial tiauition that is wiuely piacticeu by ieligious gioups, anu the
pioceuuie has associateu meuical benefits. The Couits also noteu that ciicumcision may
well be in the best inteiests of the chilu in ciicumstances wheie the piactice fosteis
acceptance within paiticulai ieligious anu social enviionments. 0n appeal, the Cologne
Regional Couit founu that the piactice of ciicumcision violates the chilu's funuamental
iight to bouily integiity because the chilu is not capable of giving infoimeu consent to
the pioceuuie. As such, the ciicumcision of a minoi constitutes ciiminal assault.
Impoitantly, the couit helu that the chilu's iights aie not oveiiiuen by the paient's iight
to fieeuom of ieligion.


Bistoiy of ciicumcision
Foi centuiies, ciicumcision has been piactiseu in countiies all ovei the woilu foi
vaiying ieasons, incluuing hygiene anu ieligious beliefs anu customs. Touay, the two
majoi faith gioups that continue to piactice ciicumcision aie }uuaism anu Islam. In the
}ewish tiauition, a chilu must be ciicumciseu on the 8
th
uay of life, wheieas in Islam, a
ciicumcision may occui at any point befoie pubeity. A }ewish ciicumcision is typically

S
Ibiu, Tianslation by Naigaiet Naiks
S
peifoimeu in the paients' house by a ieligious piactitionei known as a Nohel, as pait of
a laigei ceiemony in which the baby is given a name. The ciicumcision iepiesents a
bonu between the infant anu uou.
4
In Islam, ciicumcision is known as !"#"$", which
means 'puiification'.
S
The piactice is piimaiily peifoimeu foi hygiene ieasons, anu a
uoctoi usually peifoims the pioceuuie in hospital.

Neuical benefits
Whilst the meuical benefits of ciicumcision continue to be auvocateu, paiticulaily by
the Ameiican Acauemy of Paeuiatiics (AAP), theie is significant uoubt as to the
necessity foi the pioceuuie; paiticulaily in uevelopeu nations wheie the stanuaiu of
hygiene is high. The iecent policy statement ieleaseu by AAP in 2u12
6
states that the
health benefits of elective ciicumcision of new-boin babies outweighs the iisks of the
pioceuuie. In suppoit of this conclusion, the iepoit iuentifies a numbei of meuical
benefits of the pioceuuie, incluuing ieuuceu iisk of uiinaiy tiact infections, penile
cancei anu tiansmission of some sexually tiansmitteu infections incluuing BIv.
7
The
accuiacy anu inuepenuence of this iepoit has, howevei, been questioneu anu attackeu
by an auvocacy gioup known as Boctois 0pposing Ciicumcision (B0C). Responuing to
the AAP iepoit, the B0C claimeu that the membeis of the AAP ieseaich panel each hau
"ethnic, ieligious, financial, piofessional, anu even psychological motives to continue the
piactice of ciicumcision".
8

The Royal Austialasian College of Physicians (RACP) has also publisheu a iepoit on
infant male ciicumcision
9
which ielies on empiiical uata to aigue that that the benefits
of ciicumcision aie less pionounceu in uevelopeu nations with low iates of STI anu BIv
infections, anu wheie the iisk of complications ueveloping aie also quite iaie. Piofessoi
}ohn Butson, Piofessoi of Paeuiatiic Suigeiy at the Royal Chiluien's Bospital in

4
BBC, %&'()(*+, "+. /($0120(,(*+, Ethics uuiue, 21 }uly 2uu9
<http:www.bbc.co.ukethicsmaleciicumcisionieligions_1.shtml>
S
BBC, /($0120(,(*+ "+. 3*4,5 BBC Religion, 1S August 2uu9
<http:www.bbc.co.ukieligionieligionsislamislamethicsmaleciicumcision.shtml>
6
Ameiican Acauemy of Peuiatiics, /($0120(,(*+ 6*'(04 78"8&2&+85 (27 August 2u12).
7
The iepoit cites a publication by the Woilu Bealth 0iganisation (WB0), baseu on ieseaich unueitaken
in Afiica, to suppoit the claim that ciicumcision ieuuces the iate of BIv tiansmission anu infections.
8
Boctois 0pposing Ciicumcision, /*22&+8"$4 *+ 92&$(0"+ 90".&24 *: 6&.("8$(0, ;<=; 6*'(04 78"8&2&+8,
4 Septembei 2u12.
9
The Royal Austialasian College of Physicians, /($0120(,(*+ *: (+:"+8 2"'&, (Septembei 2u1u).
4
Nelbouine, was highly ciitical of infant male ciicumcision in a iecent aiticle.
1u
In his
opinion, suigeiy can only be justifieu in cases wheie a uisease is piesent. Be contenus
that "the suigical aigument foi ciicumcision of all neonatal males at piesent is veiy
weak, anu with iising public health stanuaius in the uevelopeu woilu, is likely to iemain
weak". The foieskin is not an 'appenuix'; iathei, it is a functional pait of the male
anatomy that is filleu with neive enuings. Fiom a puiely meuical point of view in
uevelopeu countiies, it is aiguable that its complete iemoval is uispiopoitionate to the
aim of uisease pievention. Paiticulaily in ielation to ieuucing the iisk of sexually
tiansmitteu uiseases, it is aiguable that it is appiopiiate to wait until the chilu is olu
enough to give consent to the pioceuuie.
In the context of families who elect to ciicumcise chiluien in accoiuance with ieligious
beliefs howevei, aiguments baseu on low iates of infection may caiiy less weight. Both
the AAP anu RACP have stateu that the meuical benefits alone uo not waiiant a
iecommenuation of ioutine ciicumcision of all male newboins. Bespite the iiielevance
of meuical benefits in the uecisions of paients who elect to ciicumcise theii chilu on
ieligious giounus, the fact they uo exist shoulu infoim the ethical uebate on whethei the
pioceuuie shoulu be toleiateu. vaiious paeuiatiic oiganisations have stiesseu the neeu
to consiuei the meuical benefits of the pioceuuie in light of the 'ethnic, cultuial anu
ieligious piactices of the paients', aiguing that paients shoulu be able to give consent to
have theii chilu ciicumciseu.
11

Consent
Consent is the majoi factoi which uistinguishes a suigical pioceuuie fiom a ciiminal
assault. The paient oi guaiuian of a chilu can give consent to meuical pioceuuies on
behalf of theii chilu in the couise of exeicising theii paiental iesponsibilities; iefeiieu
to in the Cologne juugment as 'pioxy consent'. The paient oi guaiuian can only give
consent if it is in 'the best inteiests of the chilu', an objective test that takes into account
a iange of ciicumstances, incluuing the cultuial context in which the chilu will giow up.
In its juugment, the couit applieu a positive test to ueciue whethei the pioceuuie of

1u
Piofessoi }ohn Butson, 'Symposium on Ciicumcision' (2uu4) Su }ouinal of Neuical Ethics 2S8.
11
Ameiican Acauemy of Peuiatiics, /($0120(,(*+ 6*'(04 78"8&2&+85 (27 August 2u12) 2; The Royal
Austialasian College of Physicians, /($0120(,(*+ *: (+:"+8 2"'&, (Septembei 2u1u) 1.
S
ciicumcision is in the chilu's best inteiests, theieby assuming the iole of guaiuian of the
chilu.
12


In uoing so howevei, the couit aiguably ignoieu the funuamental concept enshiineu in
the ueiman Constitution that the paient has a uegiee of uiscietion as to how the chilu is
to be biought up, with the state only being iequiieu to 'watch ovei them in the
peifoimance of this uuty'.
1S
Accoiuing to this piovision, the state has limiteu powei to
inteivene only in ciicumstances wheie a paient has exceeueu the limits of pioxy
consent to the point that theii conuuct waiiants legal sanction. This is a negative test
with a high thiesholu ensuiing that the publicpiivate uichotomy is pieseiveu, anu the
state only iegulates the actions of inuiviuuals wheie theii conuuct contiavenes laws oi
public policy.
14
Bowevei, this piovision of the constitution neeus to be ieau in light of
the chilu's iights to bouily integiity anu self-ueteimination.


Fieeuom of ieligion v well-being of the chilu

Aiticle 18 of the 0niveisal Beclaiation of Buman Rights (0BBR)
1S
pioviues that
'eveiyone has the iight to fieeuom of thought, conscience anu ieligion'. Aiticle 18 of the
Inteinational Covenant on Civil anu Political Rights (ICCPR)
16
claiifies the extent of this
iight by iuentifying its scope anu placing limits on the exeicise of ieligious fieeuoms in
situations in which theii exeicise woulu violate laws of the state which aie necessaiy to
piotect the funuamental iights anu fieeuoms of otheis. The ICCPR also iecognises the
iight of paients to ensuie that the ieligious anu moial euucation of theii chiluien is in
confoimity with theii own beliefs.
17
Bowevei, the iights of paients aie limiteu to non-
violent acts of euucation
18
, which uo not impinge on the funuamental iights of the chilu,

12
Bijan Fateh-Noghauam, 'Ciiminalizing male ciicumcision. Case note: Langeiicht Cologne, }uugement of
7 Nay 2u12 - No. 1S1 Ns 16911' (2u12) 1S(9) ueiman Law }ouinal 11S7.
1S
uiunugezetz fi uie Bunuesiepublik Beutschlanu |Basic Law of the Feueial Republic of ueimanyj ait
6(2).
14
Fateh-Noghauam above n 11.
1S
>+(?&$,"' @&0'"$"8(*+ *: A12"+ %()#8,, enteieu into foice 1u Becembei 1948.
16
B+8&$+"8(*+"' /*?&+&+8 *+ /(?(' "+. 6*'(8(0"' %()#8,, openeu foi signatuie 16 Becembei 1966, enteieu
into foice 2S Naich 1976.
17
B+8&$+"8(*+"' /*?&+&+8 *+ /(?(' "+. 6*'(8(0"' %()#8,, openeu foi signatuie 16 Becembei 1966, enteieu
into foice 2S Naich 1976 ait 18(4).
18
3C$)&$'(0#&, D&,&8EF10# |civil couej (ueimany) 16S1(2) ('BuB').
6
such as the iight to bouily integiity. The question of whethei the bouily integiity of the
chilu is violateu is ueteimineu by iefeience to what is in the chilu's best inteiests.

Funuamental human iights in ueimany aie guaianteeu by the ueiman Constitution
(D$1+.)&E&8E (uu)). In the Cologne juugment, the Couit helu that the ieligious fieeuoms
of the paients unuei Aiticle 6 uu aie necessaiily limiteu by the funuamental iights of
the chilu unuei Aiticle 2(1) & (2) uu, incluuing the iight to self ueteimination anu
bouily integiity. The Couit fuithei suppoits this inteipietation by iefeience to aiticle
1S6(1) of the Weimai Constitution which states that "|cjivil anu political iights anu
uuties shall be neithei uepenuent upon noi iestiicteu by the exeicise of ieligious
fieeuom".
19
0n this basis, the Cologne Couit concluues that ciicumcision of minois foi
ieligious puiposes is not justifieu by iefeience to so calleu, 'social auequacy', anu is not
in the best inteiests of the chilu, both when consiueiing any potential exclusion of the
chilu fiom the ieligious anu social enviionment as well as the iights of paients to ueciue
the ieligious euucation of theii chilu.

The Couit iegaius the funuamental civil anu political iights of the chilu as paiamount to
the iight of the paient to ieligious euucation. In ueteimining whethei the pioceuuie is
in the best meuical inteiests of the chilu, the couit founu that 'the chilu's bouy is
peimanently anu iiiepaiably changeu by the ciicumcision'. In auuition, ciicumcision
'conflicts with the chilu's inteiest of latei being able to make his own uecision on his
ieligious affiliation.' The couit wiongly equates ciicumcision with being an iiieveisible
sign of one's ieligious inclination, because ciicumcision is also commonly piacticeu foi
its cuiative effects, anu theiefoie uoes not pievent the chilu fiom changing theii
ieligious beliefs once they have the capacity to uo so.

It is uifficult to stiike a balance between the conflicting iights of the paient anu the
chilu. The natuie of iights aie such, that when one gioup's iights expanu the othei
gioup's uiminishes. Theiefoie, in ueciuing which gioup's iights aie in neeu of gieatei
piotection, one must ultimately piioiitise one set of iights ovei the othei. Whethei the
piactice of ciicumcision is outlaweu oi not, this piocess iequiies the state to make a
uecision on whethei ciicumcision shoulu be alloweu, which might negatively affect the

19
G&(2"$&$ H&$:",,1+) |Weimai Constitutionj August 11 1919.
7
iights of chiluien who weie not alloweu to be ciicumciseu as chiluien, anu wish they
hau have been. Incieasingly, society has been piepaieu to value the iights of chiluien,
which has leau to a gieatei investment of autonomy in inuiviuuals of incieasingly young
ages. It is uoubtful whethei the woilu is ieauy to fully embiace the iights of the new-
boin chilu to self-ueteimination, howevei, with this giowing tienu towaius libeialism
anu focus on the inuiviuual, it is possible that full iecognition of the iights of the chilu
coulu eventuate in the neai futuie. It is unfoitunate that ueimany was the foium foi the
uebate, as it is possibly the least equippeu to ueal with the human iights issues
involveu, given its Woilu Wai II histoiy, anu the public sciutiny ovei the Cologne couit
uecision. Bowevei, the couit case has sheu light on this paiticulai aiea, which coulu
leau to futuie uevelopments in the iights of chiluien.


Legislative iefoim

A bill was passeu on 12 Becembei 2u12 which oveituineu the Cologne Couit iuling. The
new law has placeu moie stiingent iequiiements on the ciicumstances in which
ciicumcisions may be caiiieu out, incluuing the enfoicement of minimum stanuaius,
aimeu at ensuiing that the wellbeing of the chilu is paiamount. The new iequiiements
incluue paiental consent as well as pioceuuial compliance with 'the iules of meuical
science'.
2u
A tiaineu ieligious piactitionei is peimitteu to caiiy out the pioceuuie on an
infant up until the age of 6 months, aftei which point a uoctoi must peifoim the
pioceuuie in a hospital. 0nuei this iule, a Nohel can still peifoim a ciicumcision uuiing
a tiauitional }ewish ceiemony, pioviuing they have ieceiveu the appiopiiate tiaining.

Whethei such legislative action was, in fact, justifieu, is open to question, as is the
motivation foi the ieveisal of the Cologne Couit uecision. Following the Cologne Couit
juugment, the ueiman goveinment was unuei consiueiable piessuie, both within
ueimany anu inteinationally, to ensuie that }ewish anu Nuslim life in ueimany woulu
be fuithei possible. Fiom ciitics' point of view, the Cologne juugment was saiu to
iepiesent the westein woilu's giowing intoleiance foi Islamic cultuie since the 911

2u
Loay Nuuhoon, '0pinion: New Ciicumcision bill won't enu uebate', @(& G&'8 (online) 11 0ctobei 2u12 <
http:www.uw.ueopinion-new-ciicumcision-bill-wont-enu-uebatea-16297u4u>
8
attacks.
21
0ne Russian iabbi in Beilin even maue compaiisons with the Nazi iegime,
aiguing that the ban on ciicumcision iepiesenteu 'peihaps the most seiious attack on
}ewish life in Euiope since the Bolocaust'.
22
Angela Neikel, the ueiman Chancelloi, saiu
that she uiu not want ueimany 'to be the only countiy in the woilu wheie }ews cannot
piactice theii iituals, otheiwise we will become a laughing stock".
2S
This iaises
conceins as to whethei the bill was passeu in iesponse to political embaiiassment
iathei than conceins about the uecision's constitutionality oi juuicial oveiieach.
ueimany is still unuoubteuly still haunteu by its Woilu Wai II past, anu it is aiguable
that the uecision to ieveise the Cologne Couit's juugment was at least in pait motivateu
by the uesiie to avoiu fuithei negative publicity.

Biscussion

In 2u12, the 0niteu Nations auopteu a iesolution, calling foi the complete abolition of
female genital mutilation (FuN).
24
Conveisely, male ciicumcision is still wiuely
accepteu as a social anu cultuial noim in the uevelopeu woilu. ueiman psychiatiist,
}anet Nenage, has stateu that 'the ciicumcision of Nuslim boys is just as heinous as the
aichaic custom of female genital mutilation in young giils. It is an instiument of
oppiession anu shoulu be outlaweu'.
2S


Bowevei, compaiisons between FuN anu male ciicumcision aie unsustainable when
useu in suppoit of aiguments foi the abolition of male ciicumcision. Although both
piactices involve physical injuiy to the genitalia anu aie commonly peifoimeu on
chiluien below the age of consent, this is the extent of theii similaiities. FuN, unlike
male ciicumcision, is a non-meuical pioceuuie that confeis no health benefits on
females. The pioceuuie can cause excessive bleeuing anu iesult in uifficulties in

21
Spiegel 0nline Staff, 'The Woilu fiom Beilin: Ciicumcision iuling is a Shameful Faice foi ueimany',
7I(&)&' J+'(+& (online), 1S }uly 2u12 <http:www.spiegel.ueinteinationalgeimanygeiman-piess-
ieview-on-outlash-against-couit-s-ciicumcision-iuling-a-844271.html>
22
Stephen Evans, 'ueiman ciicumcision ban: is it a paient's iight to choose.', 33/ K&L, M")"E(+&, 1S }uly
2u12 <http:www.bbc.co.uknewsmagazine-1879S842>
2S
AFP, 'Isiaeli envoy to ueimany hails ciicumcision action in Bunuestag', N1$*I&"+ O&L(,# 6$&,, (18 }uly
2u12) < http:www.ejpiess.oigaiticle6uSSS>
24
The iesolution passeu unanimously by 194 membei states, entitleu 'Intensifying ulobal Effoits foi the
Elimination of Female uenital Nutilation' auopteu on 16 Novembei 2u12.
2S
Necla Kelek, 'Ciicumcision - a useless saciifice foi Allah', @(& G&'8 (28 }une 2u12) <
http:www.welt.ueuebattekommentaieaiticle1u72882SuBie-Beschneiuung-ein-unnuetzes-0pfei-
fuei-Allah.html>
9
uiinating, infections, infeitility, complications in chilu-biith anu occasionally ueath.
26

FuN cleaily anu unueniably violates the chilu's iight to bouily integiity anu the iight to
be fiee fiom toituie anu ciuel, inhuman oi uegiauing tieatment. An exaceibating factoi
of FuN is the unsanitaiy conuitions in which the pioceuuie is commonly peifoimeu
compounueu by a geneial lack of acceptance in westein meuicine. Conveisely, male
ciicumcision has a compaiatively fai lowei iisk of complications ueveloping when
peifoimeu in accoiuance with meuical stanuaius. Impoitantly, the Woilu Bealth
0iganisation anu the 0niteu Nations Piogiam on AIBSBIv have both enuoiseu the
meuical benefits of male ciicumcision in combating the spieau of uisease in ueveloping
nations.

ueimany is a uemociatic state, meaning that the laws aie inevitably shapeu by anu
constantly changing in an attempt to ieflect the views of both the uominant piopoition
anu influential figuies within a society. This is pioblematic when attempting to
establish cultuial noims in a society compiising a conflicting anu uiveise iange of
beliefs. Accoiuing to }ewish teachings, the human bouy is not boin into the woilu
peifect, anu can only be iectifieu by human inteivention aftei biith. This is incompatible
with the Cologne Couit's views on bouily integiity. Reut Yael Paz, Acauemic Reseaichei
fiom Bumbolut 0niveisity of Beilin, has commenteu that the Cologne juugment
assumes that public piefeience is foi the pieseivation of the completeness of the
physical bouy of infants, which she says is compatible with the Chiistian emphasis on
the sanctity of the human bouy.
27
In oiuei foi social cohesion to exist, theie is a neeu to
accommouate anu accept the ieligious tiauitions of othei cultuies, even wheie the
majoiity of society uoes not piactice the iitual themselves.

What neeus to be ueteimineu howevei is a minimum set of stanuaius below which law
will not iecognise these tiauitions. Loay Nuuhoom fiom Bie Welt uesciibes this as 'a
conflict between the seculai noims of a uemociatic state anu the laws anu iituals of its

26
Woilu Bealth 0iganisation, 'Fact Sheet: Female uenital Nutilation', WB0 Neuia Centie, Febiuaiy 2u1S
<http:www.who.intmeuiacentiefactsheets
fs241en>
27
Reut Yael Paz, 'The Cologne Ciicumcision }uugment A Blow Against Libeial Legal Pluialism' on
veifassungsblog.ue (24 }uly 2u12) <http:www.veifassungsblog.ueenthe-cologne-ciicumcision-
juugment-a-blow-against-libeial-legal-pluialism#.0aCig7-BKSW>
1u
vaiious ieligious communities'.
28
Thioughout histoiy, oppiessive piactices enfoiceu by
ieligious tiauitions have been mouifieu to ieflect changing societal stanuaius. 0ne
example is the expansion of women's iights anu equality contiaiy to ieligious teachings.
Touay, ciicumcision continues to be justifieu accoiuing to these geneial stanuaius,
iefeiieu to as 'social auequacy'.

In 2uu4, Fiance intiouuceu a law which banneu ieligious paiapheinalia in state schools.
This was justifieu by iefeience to seculaiism of the state, which is guaianteeu by the
constitution. The law banneu not only the Islamic veil, but also the }ewish skullcap,
Chiistian ciosses anu Sikh tuibans. When the mattei was biought befoie the Euiopean
Couit, it founu that the poweis anu functions of the law in limiting the fieeuom of
ieligion was both justifieu anu piopoitionate to piotecting the iights anu fieeuoms of
otheis, anu maintaining public oiuei. It is questionable whethei the Euiopean Couit
woulu suppoit a blanket ban on the piactice of male ciicumcision, especially when the
ueiman couit has aiguably acteu outsiue of the constitutional fiamewoik.

Ciicumcision iaises human iights issues uue to the conflicting iights of two gioups; the
iight of the paient of ieligious fieeuom veisus the iight of the chilu to bouily integiity
anu self-ueteimination. Bespite the Cologne juugment's uecision that ciicumcision
constitutes a ciiminal batteiy if peifoimeu without any seiious meuical inuication foi
the pioceuuie, the piactice iemains legal in ueimany, uue to legislative inteivention
causeu by piessuies exeiteu on the goveinment by vaiious faith gioups. Touay, a
paient can consent to ciicumcision of theii chilu if in the best inteiests of the chilu. The
best inteiests of the chilu incluue the fact that the pioceuuie is enuoiseu by the Woilu
Bealth 0iganisation, as well as incluuing the ieligious backgiounu of the paients.
Although it appeais that society is not yet ieauy to fully accept the iights of the chilu to
self-ueteimination anu bouily integiity, the Cologne juugement has fosteieu public
uebate in the aiea, which coulu eventually leau to a uiffeient outcome in anothei
juiisuiction.

28
Nuuhoom above n 21.