The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Knox County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office to allow the wearing of the Islamic headscarf, or hijab, in police photos.
A Muslim woman is suing the Knox County Sheriff’s Office in federal court over a booking photo of her taken without her hijab after she was arrested on May 15 while participating in a pro-Palestinian protest. Layla Soliz was arrested with 10 other protesters at the University of Tennessee campus on charges of criminal trespass. During her booking, officers took her mug shot with and without the hijab, a head covering worn by Muslim women as part of their faith, according to the lawsuit.
SEE: Demonstrator sues Knox County Sheriff’s Office for publishing mug shot without her hijab
In a statement, CAIR Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“The First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom does not expire in police stations or sheriff’s offices. Our constitution ensures every American the right to practice their faith in all circumstances. By forcing a Muslim woman to remove her hijab for a booking photo, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office is violating this right. We urge them to change their policy to allow for the wearing of the hijab and other religious articles in booking photos.”
He said CAIR often defends the right to wear hijab in the United States and to be free of harassment or discrimination for wearing Islamic attire.
Mitchell also urged the Knox County Sheriff’s Office to make use of CAIR’s Corrections Officer’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices. The guide contains information on Islamic religious practices, dietary needs, and other aspects of free religious exercise in prison settings.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | TikTok | Website|YouTube
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: info@cair.com, CC ihooper@cair.com
END
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com