SWEDEN: Woman arrested for illegal circumcisions

UPI
July 3, 2013

Woman arrested for illegal circumcision of two young boys

EKSJO, Sweden, July 3 (UPI) -- Swedish police have arrested a 36-year-old woman in connection with the illegal circumcision of two young boys in the town of Eksjo, authorities said.

Police spokesman Goran Gunnarsson told the Swedish news agency TT that police received a call from someone who heard the boys screaming.

The unidentified woman apprehended at the scene is believed to be a relative of the two boys.

Charges against her include suspicion of aggravated assault since it is illegal to perform a circumcision in Sweden without supervision by a medical professional.

The Swedish Parliament passed a law in 2001 requiring a professional to be present at all circumcisions.

The law is not only designed to safeguard against pain but also to help prevent potential infection.

SOUTH AFRICA: Five more circumcision deaths, one castration

IoL News
June 21, 2013

Five circumcision deaths in E Cape

Port Elizabeth - Five boys died and one has been castrated in the Eastern Cape after illegal circumcisions, the provincial health department said on Friday.

“The Eastern Cape department of health is extremely concerned about the increasing number of young boys dying in the bush,” said spokesman Sizwe Kupelo.

“Over the past four days five boys have died in the bush. An autopsy conducted on three of them indicated they suffered from gangrene which resulted in renal failure.”

A 15-year-old boy also had to be castrated.

Kupelo said the circumcisions had occurred at illegal schools in the Libode, Port St Johns, and Lusikisiki areas.

“In one instance in Libode, a man wearing a balaclava is alleged to have circumcised at least 37 boys,” he said.

Those circumcised included boys as young as nine-years-old.

“The department describes the situation as not circumcision but acts of barbarism being perpetrated by greedy people who are interested in making money, and who have total disregard for human life.”

...

Earlier story

SOUTH AFRICA: Two boys rescued; boy circumcised 70

The Citizen
June 16, 2013

Circumcised boys rescued in Eastern Cape

Two Eastern Cape boys who underwent an illegal circumcision were hospitalised on Sunday, the provincial health department said.

"A team of police and health officials responded to [a call from] one of the villages, Mkhantatho, and rescued two boys," spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said.

"The boys were suffering from dehydration and hallucinations."

They were found in a forest near Sicambeni village around 1am, and taken to hospital as they required immediate medical care.

Kupelo said police were searching for the person who performed the illegal circumcisions.

Parents notified the department of 12 other boys, between the ages of 12 and 13, who had received illegal circumcisions in Sicambeni.

"This brings the number of illegal circumcisions reported [this week] to over 80," said Kupelo.

Earlier, he said the department had received reports of illegal circumcisions in Cibeni, Mkhantatho, Gebali, Lukuni, and KwaGorha villages. At least 70 boys were reported to be in illegal circumcision schools.

They were being circumcised by a boy who attended a school in the area and who was not a recognised district surgeon. The matter came to light when concerned traditional leaders contacted the department.

No deaths had been reported.