Cabinet approves stricter penalties for female genital mutilation

The Cabinet approved female genital mutilation (FGM) law amendments to implement tougher sentences on doctors who perform the procedure, announced Health Minister Ahmed Emad.

The amendments include imposing rigorous imprisonment from five to seven years on those who perform FGM procedure as opposed to the previous sentence that ranged from three months to three years.

Should the procedure lead to a deformity, the sentence could reach 15 years to rigorous imprisonment. 

The punishment also includes imposing a prison sentence ranging from one to three years on those who force the woman to undergo the FGM procedure. 

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the health minister said that the Cabinet approved the amendment and referred it to the House of Representatives for endorsement. 

The amendments in the law will contribute to putting an end to FGM crimes, he said, adding that the FGM is still widely practiced in Egypt.

Source: MENA