The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today urged Alabama authorities to accept a request from a Muslim incarceree for no autopsy to be performed on his body after execution, in accordance with his religious beliefs.
Alabama Death Row inmate Keith Edmund Gavin is asking state officials not to conduct an autopsy on his body after execution because of his religious beliefs.
“Mr. Gavin is a devout Muslim,” according to a lawsuit filed last month by his lawyers. “His religion teaches that the human body is a sacred temple, which must be kept whole. As a result, Mr. Gavin sincerely believes that an autopsy would desecrate his body and violate the sanctity of keeping his human body intact. Based on his faith, Mr. Gavin is fiercely opposed to an autopsy being performed on his body after his execution.”
SEE: Muslim inmate asks that state not autopsy his body after execution
Alabama inmate Keith Edmund Gavin doesn’t want autopsy after his execution, cites Muslim faith
In a statement, CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor said:
“The religious freedom guaranteed to every American in our founding documents does not cease to apply behind bars. We urge Alabama state officials to accept Mr. Gavin’s request that his body not be autopsied after execution.”
In Islamic beliefs, autopsies are generally viewed as impermissible mutilation of the deceased but are permissible in cases of necessity and only to the extent required.
“There appears to be no reason an autopsy is necessary in this case,” said Saylor.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@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