Circumcision
Iceland introduced a bill to ban circumcision. Here, a Jewish religious male-circumcision ceremony performed by the Stavropol regional Jewish community at the Pyatigorsk synagogue in Pyatigorsk, Russia. Getty

Iceland became the first country in Europe to introduce a bill to ban the circumcision of boys for non-medical reasons.

In the proposed law, the circumcision of boys — an act that involves removing the foreskin of the penis of a new-born baby — will be on par with female genital mutilation and is punishable with six years in prison.

Iceland Progressive Party MP Silja Dögg Gunnarsdottir said the circumcisions are performed without obtaining the consent of the individual and the law will ensure the rights of the child are protected. She stressed the measure will not hinder the religious rights of the parents but will only protect the rights of the infant.

"Those procedures are unnecessary, done without their informed consent, non-reversible and can cause all kinds of severe complications, disfigurations and even death," Icelandic Progressive Party MP Silja Dögg Gunnarsdottir said.

Several European religious leaders declared the bill was an attack on religious freedom. Jews and Muslims who traditionally embrace this practice viewed the bill as a threat to their religious beliefs.

The Nordic Jews Community issued a joint statement stating their displeasure on the proposed move.

In the statement, they said: “Iceland would be the only country to ban one of the most central, if not the most central rite in the Jewish tradition in modern times. But it would not be the first time in the long tradition of the Jewish people. Throughout history, more than one oppressive regime has tried to suppress our people and eradicate Judaism by prohibiting our religious practices.”

"We urge you to vote against the bill banning Brit Milah and rather look to Norway’s legislation effective from January 2015 protecting the Jews’ right to Brit Milah," the statement added.

Brit Milah is a Jewish rite of passage ceremony where a circumcision is performed on the eighth day of the infant’s life. The procedure is undertaken by qualified doctors called Mohels with sterile equipment often in people’s homes.

A study conducted in 2012 by the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Circumcision, said the health benefits involved in circumcision outweighed the risk.

The study found that circumcision could significantly reduce the risk of HIV in males. The taskforce comprised of experts from various health care fields said circumcised males were 40-60% less likely to contract HIV than non-circumcised males.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention estimated circumcision could reduce the risks of acquiring HIV by over 15% among American males.

The study concluded that the foreskin might be increasingly susceptible to microscopic cuts and wounds which would cause disease bearing agents to enter the body. In addition to reducing the risks of HIV, the study suggested circumcision can also reduce the risks of penile cancer and urinary tract infections.

While circumcisions created a slight margin to incur diseases, the proposed law to completely eradicate the practice deemed sacred by Jews and Muslims all over the world can create contention in the community.

According to reports, the bill has not yet been backed by many formal government ministers but it does have the support of over 400 Icelandic doctors who oppose the archaic religious practice.