Berlin Outlines Conditions For Circumcision

Parents must provide proof of religious motivation, and the procedure must be carried out by a doctor

The city of Berlin on Wednesday imposed new legal conditions on parents who have their boys circumcised, following a recent court ruling saying the religious rite amounted to grievous bodily harm.

The German capital's top justice official, Thomas Heilmann, said the new rules were intended to protect the rights of Jewish and Muslim parents who wish to have their sons' foreskin removed in a ritual practice.

"We explicitly welcome Muslim and Jewish life in Berlin," Heilmann said. "That is only possible if freedom to practise religion is possible."