The office of the Prosecutor General is considering filing charges in a case in which seven Muslim boys in the city of Kuopio had to be hospitalised last year following religiously-mandated circumcisions performed at their homes.

   

In August last year an African-born doctor performed circumcisions according to Muslim teaching on the seven boys, who later required hospital treatment.

   

When the case was made public, police investigated it as one of aggravated assault.

   

One of the investigators now says that factors have come to light which mean that the actions cannot be considered aggravated. The case is being investigated as an ordinary assault.

   

The boys' parents have been interrogated as possible suspects.

   

The doctor who performed the operations has been abroad, and he is to be questioned in late February.