Turkey warns Strasbourg over circumcision resolution

ANKARA

Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek has criticized a PACE resolution against circumcision of young boys without their consent before the age of 14. AA photo

Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek has called on the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to take a step against PACE’s recent resolution adopting a report against the circumcision of young boys without their consent before the age of 14.

Çiçek warned of the probable “dangerous” consequences of such a move, which “cannot be expected to make a contribution in regard to improving human rights and freedoms.”

“This attempt caused doubts that the resolution was adopted to offend Muslims and Jews, as well as to challenge and insult their religions,” he said in a letter to PACE President Jean Claude Mignon, Anadolu Agency reported on Oct. 10.

Çiçek also noted that international professions and scientific organizations had acknowledged that the circumcision practice is actually “useful” for physical integrity, contrary to the resolution that suggests that it is a “violation of the physical integrity of children.”

The parliamentary speaker further underlined that questioning a practice that is so widespread did not comply with freedom of religion and conscience, which is an indispensable part of universal human rights.