NRI Jumana Nagarwala arrested with performing female genital mutilation on girls, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison

Washington, April 14, 2017

NRI Jumana Nagarwala. Detroit emergency room physician of Northville, Michigan, was charged with female genital mutilation, a five-year felony, and transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, a felony punishable by 10 years to life.

This kind ofpractice of female genital mutilation or “female circumcision’ has been illegal in the US in 1996 and in the UK since 1985. This barbaric act consists of total removal of the external female genitalia and is done entirely for non-medical reasons. It is most popular in parts of north and east Africa as well as in in the Middle East.

The tradition is most prominent in the Islamic world although there is no mention of female circumcision in the Quran.  30 per cent of married women believe the practice should be banned

The World Health Organization (WHO) asserts that “the procedure has no health benefits for women,” and causes a range of health problems including “severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, infertility as well as complications in childbirth.”

Up to 92 per cent of married women in Egypt have undergone female genital mutilation and most females undergo the procedure between the ages of nine and 12 and less than a third of the operations are carried out by doctors.

Hosni Mubarak banned Female Genital Mutilation, but now the Muslim Brotherhood is trying to make it mandatory. Egypt has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation in the world.

Islamic cleric says, “The prophet did it, so it is legal under sharia law.”

According to the complaint, despite her oath to care for her patients, Dr. Nagarwala is alleged to have performed horrifying acts of brutality on the most vulnerable victims.

Nagarwala was arrested Wednesday night and arraigned in federal court Thursday.
According to the FBI:

• Nagarwala removed clitoral skin from two girls who were brought to Detroit earlier this year, activity that violates both federal and state law regarding female genital mutilation.

• Female genital mutilation is an internationally recognized violation of human rights and is popular among certain religious and cultural communities.

• Female genital mutilation constitutes a particularly brutal form of violence against women and girls

After arriving in Farmington Hills, the girls were taken to a doctor because “their tummies hurt.”

• The girl told the FBI that Nagarwala “pinched” her on the “place (where) she goes pee

• A subsequent medical examination showed that the girl’s genitals did not appear normal and a section had been altered or removed

• Finally, the doctor observed some scar tissue and small healing lacerations AND ‘She screamed’

The second girl said that she ‘got a shot,’ and that it hurt really badly and she screamed. Her parents told her that the procedure is a secret and that she is not supposed to talk about it.

The girl said that after the procedure, she could barely walk, and that she felt pain all the way down to her ankle
A subsequent medical exam showed the girl’s genitalia had a small incision and a small tear

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Indian-origin doctor in US held for child genital mutilation

 
Washington, April 14 - An Indian-origin female doctor in the US was arrested and charged with performing female genital mutilation on girls as young as six-year-old.

Jumana Nagarwala, 44, was charged with performing the procedure on six- to eight-year old girls at a medical clinic in Livonia, Michigan, reported WXYZ TV channel on Thursday.

Nagarwala, who is an emergency room physician at a hospital, was investigated after the authorities received a tip-off.

If found guilty, she faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Female genital mutilation was made illegal in the US in 1996.

According to a criminal complaint, some of the children were brought from out of state for the illegal procedure.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is considered the complete removal or partial removal of the clitoris, known as a clitoridectomy. FGM is internationally recognised as a violation of the human rights of women and girls.

Prosecutors said Nagarwala had performed "horrifying acts of brutality on the most vulnerable victims", according to the report.

Some travelled to her practice from outside the state of Michigan and were told not to talk about the procedure, they added.

Nagarwala appeared in a federal court in Detroit and was remanded in custody.

"Female genital mutilation constitutes a particularly brutal form of violence against women and girls. It is also a serious federal felony in the United States," Acting US Attorney Daniel Lemisch said.

"The practice has no place in modern society and those who perform FGM on minors will be held accountable under federal law."

The US Congress passed a law in 1996 making it illegal to perform genital mutilation or cutting on anyone under 18. Twenty-five US states also have laws prohibiting the practice.

Prosecutors in Michigan said they believe it is the first case of its kind brought under the federal law.

The complaint said federal agents reviewed Nagarwala's telephone records and further investigation revealed that parents of two minor girls had traveled to Michigan.

The girls were later interviewed by a forensic expert and one of the girls said she was told she was coming to Detroit for a "special" girls trip, but after arriving at the hotel, she learned that she and the other girl had to go to the doctor because "our tummies hurt".

The girls had been taken to Nagarwala, who performed the procedure on the girls.

The affidavit, according to reports, also said that many of her victims were from Michigan.