Processes
Wife mutilation? – Gynecologist in court
View of the main entrance to the Braunschweig Regional Court. The trial against a gynecologist begins here. photo
© Moritz Frankenberg/dpa
When the dream trip turns into a nightmare. A woman from Lower Saxony is said to have been the victim of genital mutilation on her wedding tour in Dubai. Her husband, a gynecologist, is therefore on trial.
What happened on the honeymoon in a hotel room Dubai? A gynecologist from Lower Saxony is accused of mutilating his wife with scissors during the trip. More than four years after the alleged crime and two years after the indictment, the trial against the 54-year-old begins at 9 a.m. at the Braunschweig regional court.
According to the indictment, in April 2019 the doctor wanted to have sexual intercourse with his bride. Because that didn’t work, he removed a piece of the hymen with scissors. The gynecologist is said to have carried out the procedure without any anesthesia. According to the prosecution, the woman suffered severe pain and lost a lot of blood.
The then 31-year-old endured the crime out of fear of a threatened divorce and the associated cultural ostracism, as the public prosecutor announced shortly after the case became known. Both spouses are Germans with a migration background.
The public prosecutor’s office accuses the doctor of female genital mutilation and grievous bodily harm. Before the start of the hearing, the court indicated that the criminal chamber in its current composition sees sufficient suspicion in relation to dangerous bodily harm, but no longer regarding the alleged genital mutilation.
The doctor continued to work in his job
According to the public prosecutor’s office, when the case became known two years ago, the doctor exercised his right to remain silent. The presumption of innocence applies until a final conviction is made. According to information from the public prosecutor’s office at the time, the man continued to work in his job.
The Lower Saxony Association for the Granting of Medical Licenses (NiZzA) would be responsible for a possible decision to revoke the medical professional license. A spokeswoman for this authority confirmed at the time that such a case was known there. As a rule, however, the outcome of criminal proceedings is first awaited.
Depending on how the case is assessed legally, the doctor could face up to ten years in prison for grievous bodily harm. The law provides for a prison sentence of not less than one year for female genital mutilation. Six days of negotiations are planned for the trial. A verdict could come at the end of November.