Court rules in case of genital cutting

In a landmark ruling, a court in Switzerland has handed down a six-month suspended prison sentence for genital mutilation.

The defendant was accused of allowing the circumcision of her 13-year-old half-sister in Somalia.

The judge found that the 50-year-old woman, who came to Switzerland in 1993 as a refugee, failed in her duty to look after the girl by sending her back to Somalia despite knowing that she was likely to be circumcised there.

Another case, involving a case of genital cutting carried out in Switzerland, is pending.

There are around 7,000 girls or women – mainly from Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea living in Switzerland who are circumcised or at risk of being submitted to the practice.

Moves are underway in parliament to impose an outright ban on female circumcision.