Record payment after botched Batman circumcision

ISTANBUL - A Turkish court on Tuesday approved a record compensation payment for the family of a boy who had a large portion of his penis removed and burnt off in a botched circumcision operation, media reported.

The boy, who is now six, underwent the operation when he was one-year-old in a mass circumcision ceremony for boys from disadvantaged families in the southeastern city of Batman.

The upper portion of the penis was mistakenly cut and burnt off during the operation and the boy was still receiving care for his wounds, private Dogan news agency reported.

A Batman court ordered the health ministry to pay the boy's family a record 600,000 Turkish liras (S$340,000) in damages, Dogan said.

The family of seven claimed that the operation was carried out only by a health technician because no qualified doctor was present during the circumcision.

The boy was sent off with burn creams and was told to "have some rest to heal properly."

The parents, however, are not satisfied with the amount, claiming that their child may require further treatment, including treatment abroad.

They are still seeking over 2 million more Turkish liras in damages, Dogan said.

Circumcision is widely practiced in all Islamic countries, including predominantly Muslim but staunchly secular Turkey.

But it's an expense that many families find difficult to afford, with the operation costing hundreds of dollars and the ensuing celebrations even more.

Therefore many parents choose to pay unskilled circumcisers or barbers, who perform the operation with unsterilized instruments.