Editing Circumcision and law (section)

=== Netherlands ===

The [[Royal Dutch Medical Association|Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG)]] finds non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors to be in conflict with children's right to autonomy and physical integrity, and that there are good reasons for its legal prohibition, as exists for female genital mutilation:<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.knmg.nl/circumcision |title=The non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors |publisher=KNMG |year=2010 |page=16 |access-date=18 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513032558/https://www.knmg.nl/circumcision/ |archive-date=13 May 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> 
{{blockquote |
* There is no convincing evidence that circumcision is useful or necessary in terms of prevention or hygiene. Partly in the light of the complications which can arise during or after circumcision, circumcision is not justifiable except on medical/therapeutic grounds. Insofar as there are medical benefits, such as a possibly reduced risk of HIV infection, it is reasonable to put off circumcision until the age at which such a risk is relevant and the boy himself can decide about the intervention, or can opt for any available alternatives.
* Contrary to what is often thought, circumcision entails the risk of medical and psychological complications. The most common complications are bleeding, infections, meatus stenosis (narrowing of the urethra) and panic attacks. Partial or complete penis amputations as a result of complications following circumcisions have also been reported, as have psychological problems as a result of the circumcision.
* Non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors is contrary to the rule that minors may only be exposed to medical treatments if illness or abnormalities are present, or if it can be convincingly demonstrated that the medical intervention is in the interest of the child, as in the case of vaccinations.
* Non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors conflicts with the child's right to autonomy and physical integrity.
* There are good reasons for a legal prohibition of non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors, as exists for female genital mutilation.| author = {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Royal Dutch Medical Association]], 2010}}

In May 2008 a father who had his two sons, aged 3 and 6, circumcised against the will of their mother was found not guilty of abuse as the circumcision was performed by a physician and due to the court's restraint in setting a legal precedent; instead he was given a 6-week suspended jail sentence for taking the boys away from their mother against her will.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 May 2008 |title=Father 'not guilty' in circumcision case - DutchNews.nl |url=http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2008/05/father_not_guilty_in_circumcis.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511060003/http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2008/05/father_not_guilty_in_circumcis.php |archive-date=11 May 2008 |access-date=9 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2012 |title=Religieuze jongens besnijdenis als mishandeling |url=http://repository.ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/handle/2066/101027/101027.pdf?sequence=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009150426/http://repository.ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/handle/2066/101027/101027.pdf?sequence=1 |archive-date=9 October 2016 |access-date=6 October 2016}}</ref>

The [[Parquet (legal)|parquet]] of the [[Supreme Court of the Netherlands]] made an elaborate statement on the legal status of circumcision on 5 July 2011 in the course of a criminal case. First, the parquet notes that there is no law that specifically prohibits the circumcision of boys, nor that the practice falls under the more general crime of ''(zware) mishandeling'' ('(grave) assault'). "Genital mutilation of girls in any case undoubtedly falls under ''(zware) mishandeling'' (Art. 300–303 [[Dutch Criminal Code]]). Whereas most forms of genital cutting of girls are generally marked as genital mutilation, a similar [[communis opinio]] regarding genital cutting of boys does not yet exist so far." The Supreme Court acknowledged that society's attitudes on genital cutting of boys had been gradually shifting over the course of years, and that "the increasing concern [in the medical world] about the harm and the risk of complications during a circumcision is indeed relevant", but that overall there were not enough reasons yet to proceed to criminalisation. Neither could intentional infliction of grave bodily harm (Art. 82 Dutch Criminal Code) be applied to the normal circumstances of a competently and hygienically performed circumcision in a clinic. And because young children are incapable of exercising the right to self-determination, parents ought to do this on their behalf. They can both request a circumcision to be performed, as well as consent to it being performed, on the grounds of their parental authority. However, it is important that both parents consent to the procedure.<ref name="Supreme Court of the Netherlands">{{Cite web |date=5 July 2011 |title=Strafrecht overig |url=https://www.uitspraken.nl/uitspraak/parket-bij-de-hoge-raad/strafrecht/strafrecht-overig/ecli-nl-phr-2011-bq6690 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422011359/https://www.uitspraken.nl/uitspraak/parket-bij-de-hoge-raad/strafrecht/strafrecht-overig/ecli-nl-phr-2011-bq6690 |archive-date=22 April 2021 |access-date=17 August 2020 |website=Uitspraken.nl |language=nl}}</ref>

;In favour of a ban
* [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]], political party, on the basis of Article 11 of the Constitution concerning bodily integrity (from 2006<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 March 2006 |title=Kamerstuk 30 316: Wijziging van Boek 1 van het Burgerlijk Wetboek teneinde een bijdrage te leveren aan het voorkomen van het gebruik van geestelijk of lichamelijk geweld jegens of van enige andere vernederende behandeling van kinderen in de verzorging en opvoeding |url=https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-30316-6.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422011408/https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-30316-6.html |archive-date=22 April 2021 |access-date=30 July 2020 |publisher=Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal}}</ref> to 2011<ref name="ChristenUnie geschokt">{{Cite web |last=[[Esmé Wiegman-van Meppelen Scheppink]] |date=21 September 2011 |title=ChristenUnie geschokt over artsendiscussie jongensbesnijdenis |url=https://www.christenunie.nl/k/news/view/490245/59042/christenunie-geschokt-over-artsendiscussie-jongensbesnijdenis.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203043729/https://www.christenunie.nl/k/news/view/490245/59042/christenunie-geschokt-over-artsendiscussie-jongensbesnijdenis.html |archive-date=3 February 2021 |access-date=30 July 2020 |website=christenunie.nl}}</ref>) 
* [[Royal Dutch Medical Association]] (KNMG), federation of physicians (since 2010)<ref name="KNMG">{{Cite web|date=2014-09-14|title=Niet-therapeutische circumcisie bij minderjarige jongens |website=Koninklijke Nederlandsche Maatschappij tot bevordering der Geneeskunst |language=nl |url=http://knmg.artsennet.nl/web/file?uuid=175a7dff-f20b-42b3-9c04-78fd83f24a3d&owner=a8a9ce0e-f42b-47a5-960e-be08025b7b04&contentid=77973|access-date=2022-08-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914140526/http://knmg.artsennet.nl/web/file?uuid=175a7dff-f20b-42b3-9c04-78fd83f24a3d&owner=a8a9ce0e-f42b-47a5-960e-be08025b7b04&contentid=77973 |archive-date=14 September 2014 }}</ref>
* [[Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy]], youth wing [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD) (since 2014)<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 March 2014 |title=JOVD wil verbod op religieuze besnijdenis |work=Trouw |url=https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/jovd-wil-verbod-op-religieuze-besnijdenis~b40947bd/ |url-status=live |access-date=12 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012173248/https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/jovd-wil-verbod-op-religieuze-besnijdenis~b40947bd/ |archive-date=12 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tom Leijte & Matthijs van de Burgwal |date=5 March 2014 |title=Hoog tijd om besnijdenis van minderjarige jongens te verbieden |work=Trouw |url=https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/hoog-tijd-om-besnijdenis-van-minderjarige-jongens-te-verbieden~b73105ee/ |url-status=live |access-date=12 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012173235/https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/hoog-tijd-om-besnijdenis-van-minderjarige-jongens-te-verbieden~b73105ee/ |archive-date=12 October 2019}}</ref>
* [[Young Democrats (Netherlands)|Young Democrats]], youth wing [[Democrats 66]] (D66) (since 2017, favours a gradual increase of the minimum age for circumcision)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wouter van Erkel en Koen Sijtsema |date=5 May 2017 |title=Vrijheid van religie houdt op bij jongensbesnijdenis |work={{Lang|nl|NRC Handelsblad}} |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/05/05/vrijheid-van-religie-houdt-op-bij-jongensbesnijdenis-8692723-a1557375 |url-status=live |access-date=12 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422011327/https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/05/05/vrijheid-van-religie-houdt-op-bij-jongensbesnijdenis-8692723-a1557375 |archive-date=22 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 May 2017 |title=Zeven argumenten voor jongensbesnijdenis en waarom ze niet kloppen |url=https://jongedemocraten.nl/blog/zeven-argumenten-voor-jongensbesnijdenis-en-waarom-ze-niet-kloppen/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012174731/https://jongedemocraten.nl/blog/zeven-argumenten-voor-jongensbesnijdenis-en-waarom-ze-niet-kloppen/ |archive-date=12 October 2019 |access-date=12 October 2019 |website=Website Jonge Democraten}}</ref>
* [[PINK!]], youth wing [[Party for the Animals]] (PvdD) (since 2018)<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 May 2018 |title=Jongeren PvdD willen verbod jongensbesnijdenis |work=Blik op Nieuws |url=https://www.blikopnieuws.nl/nieuws/263659/jongeren-pvdd-willen-verbod-jongensbesnijdenis.html |url-status=live |access-date=12 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012173259/https://www.blikopnieuws.nl/nieuws/263659/jongeren-pvdd-willen-verbod-jongensbesnijdenis.html |archive-date=12 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 May 2018 |title=PINK! Ban circumcision of boys – interview Sebastiaan Wolswinkel |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AlGgV1WOyA |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325120103/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AlGgV1WOyA&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=25 March 2020 |access-date=12 October 2019 |website=Simon ten Kate}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Marvin Gerritsen & Sebastiaan Wolswinkel |date=29 June 2018 |title=Verbod besnijdenis in het belang van het kind |work=Joop |url=https://joop.bnnvara.nl/opinies/verbied-besnijdenis-in-het-belang-van-het-kind |url-status=live |access-date=12 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012173253/https://joop.bnnvara.nl/opinies/verbied-besnijdenis-in-het-belang-van-het-kind |archive-date=12 October 2019}}</ref>

;Against a ban
* Council of Public Health and Care (RVZ), medical advisory committee for parliament and government (since 2010)<ref name="RVZ">{{Cite web|date=2011-12-03|title=De ene besnijdenis is de andere niet. Reactie op KNMG standpunt jongensbesnijdenis &#124; RVZ - Raad voor Volksgezondheid & Zorg|url=http://rvz.net/nieuws/bericht/de-ene-besnijdenis-is-de-andere-niet-reactie-op-knmg-standpunt-jongensbesn|access-date=2022-08-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203065953/http://rvz.net/nieuws/bericht/de-ene-besnijdenis-is-de-andere-niet-reactie-op-knmg-standpunt-jongensbesn |archive-date=3 December 2011 }}</ref>
* Rabbi Herman Loonstein, president of Federative Jewish Netherlands<ref>{{Cite news |last=Danielle Pinedo & Frederiek Weeda |date=13 July 2012 |title=Wij zien besnijdenis juist als iets goeds |work={{Lang|nl|NRC Handelsblad}} |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2012/07/13/wij-zien-besnijdenis-juist-als-iets-goeds-1130169-a1025570 |url-status=live |access-date=12 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422011333/https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2012/07/13/wij-zien-besnijdenis-juist-als-iets-goeds-1130169-a1025570 |archive-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
* [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]], political party, on the basis of Article 6 of the Constitution concerning freedom of religion (since 2011<ref name="ChristenUnie geschokt" />)