Complex sentence: The procedure may bring up associations with the medieval punishment of burning or drowning women accused of witchcraft, but there is no link between these two, since the pagan roots precede Christian witch hunts by centuries.
Split into simpler sentences: The procedure may bring up associations with the medieval punishment of burning or drowning women accused of witchcraft. There is no link between these two, since the pagan roots precede Christian witch hunts by centuries.