The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, along with its California chapter (CAIR-CA), today announced the filing of a federal lawsuit on behalf of an incarcerated Muslim man challenging the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) for its systemic denial of religious accommodations.
The lawsuit alleges that CDCR officials violated the constitutional and statutory rights of incarcerated Muslims under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by refusing to provide consistent access to Jummah prayers, the mandatory Friday congregational prayer central to the Islamic faith. According to the complaint, Jummah services have been provided, at best, less than five times per year.
In a statement, CAIR Deputy Litigation Director Gadeir Abbas said:
“Jummah is not optional or occasional. It is a weekly religious obligation that carceral facilities are required to provide. California prison officials have no justification for denying Muslim men the ability to pray in congregation.”
In a statement, CAIR Los Angeles Civil Rights Managing Attorney Dina Chehata said:
“The CDCR has a legal obligation to afford our client, and other Muslims, the right to participate in regular religious services, without the threat of retaliation or violence. Instead, our client was denied the right to practice his faith and then violently assaulted for carrying a religious item. No one should have to choose between their safety and their religion, and what our client suffered was not only wrong, it’s unlawful. This lawsuit seeks accountability and justice for our client and people of all faiths.”
The filing seeks corrective action to ensure that Muslim incarcerees receive equal and consistent access to religious services, as required by federal law. The complaint also seeks damages against a CDCR correctional officer for the use of excessive force against a Muslim incarcerated individual, who was assaulted for wearing a prayer shawl without written pre-approval.
This lawsuit highlights broader concerns regarding systemic failures to respect religious liberty within California’s prison system and underscores the continuing obligation of CDCR to uphold the civil rights of all incarcerated individuals, regardless of faith.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR offers an educational toolkit, called “A Correctional Institution’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,” to help correctional officers and administrators gain a better understanding of Islam and Muslims.
SEE: A Correctional Institution’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR Deputy Litigation Director Gadeir Abbas, (202) 742-6420 or gabbas@cair.com; CAIR Staff Attorney Nora Elmubarak, (202) 742-6419 or nelmubarak@cair.com; CAIR Los Angeles Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR Los Angeles Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed mmorse-hameed@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530 or e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448 or rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726 or ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280 or iallison@cair.com