London: A London doctor and another man will become thefirst people to be charged in Britain over female genital mutilation, stateprosecutors announced on Friday.
Dr. Dhanoun Dharmasena is accused of re-performingan FGM procedure on a woman who gave birth at his hospital in November 2012following damage caused by labour.
Another man, Hasan Mohamed, is accused ofintentionally encouraging an offence of FGM, and of aiding, abetting,counselling or procuring Dharmasena to commit the offence.
It was not immediately clear what Mohamed'srelationship to the victim was, but he is not a healthcare professional.
"It was alleged that following a patientgiving birth in November 2012, a doctor at the Whittington Hospital, in London,repaired FGM that had previously been performed on the patient, allegedlycarrying out FGM himself," said Alison Saunders, director of publicprosecutions.
"Having carefully considered all the availableevidence, I have determined there is sufficient evidence and it would be in thepublic interest to prosecute Dr Dhanoun Dharmasena."
Both Dharmasena and Mohamed will appear atWestminster Magistrates' Court on April 15.
Some 100 to 140 million girls and women globallyare thought to have undergone FGM, which ranges from removal of the clitoris tomore widespread mutilation, and can lead to infection and long-term severepain.
FGM has been illegal in Britain since 1985 butno-one has ever been prosecuted.
There have been increasing calls on police and thegovernment to act, and last month ministers introduced a new requirement onBritish hospitals to keep a record of patients who have been subjected to FGM.
The latest Department of Health figures from 2007suggest that 66,000 women in England and Wales are living with the consequencesof FGM, and a further 23,000 girls under the age of 15 are at risk every year.
FGM was first made illegal in Britain under a 1985law, which was extended in 2003 to make it an offence for British nationals orpermanent residents to carry out FGM abroad or seek FGM abroad, even where itis legal.
The maximum penalty is 14 years in jail.