Denmark: Mother sentenced in FGM case

Denmark: Mother sentenced in FGM case

The mother got two years in jail, though in practice it's considered time served already.


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Denmark's first case involving parents allowing the genital mutilation of their daughters resulted today in a two-year sentence for the mother.


The major part of the sentence - 1 year and six months - was conditional, while six months was unconditional. The Eritrean woman will not however have to serve a sentence in prison as she has already been in detention for four-and-a-half months.


Father freed


While the mother was sentenced, the father of the girls was found not guilty. The mother's defence attorney said it had not yet been decided whether the mother would appeal her sentence as a matter of principle.


"The important thing is that my client does not have to go to prison again. Two years sounds a lot, but we will now have to think about whether to appeal," says Attorney Jane Ranum.


Third daughter


Apart from the two daughters - now 10 and 12 years old - who had been genitally mutilated, the parents were also charged with planning to have a third daughter mutilated. Both were, however, found not guilty as charged with this latter offence.


Both parents said they had not known that their daughters were to be mutilated. The mother explained in court that she had believed that her daughters were to be treated for a worm infection when her sister took them to a clinic.



(more)


Source: Politiken (English)

See also:
* Denmark: Proposal to ban child circumcision
* Denmark: Couple arrested on female circumcision charges
* Norway: First female circumcision case in court

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