A German court has ruled that circumcising a child unable to give consent qualifies as bodily harm even if the parents give their permission, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. While the ruling isn’t binding on other court cases, it increases the risk that other doctors might be charged with a crime for performing circumcisions. The ruling has sparked protests from Christian, Jewish and Muslim organizations and may lead to political tension between Germany and Israel. The World Health Organization states that male circumcision lowers the risk of men acquiring HIV by about 60 percent.

To read the Businessweek article, click here.