Muslim Prisoner Sues Michigan Prison Officials Over Seizure of Quran, Hijab and Prayer Rug

Muslim Prisoner Sues Michigan Prison Officials Over Seizure of Quran, Hijab and Prayer Rug
————————————————————
A 46-year-old Muslim woman incarcerated in Michigan has filed a federal lawsuit accusing officials at the Huron Valley Correctional Facility for Women of violating her religious freedom by confiscating her Quran, prayer rug and head covering, and offering her a Bible instead.

According to the lawsuit, the items were seized following a dispute between the woman and a prison employee in September 2023. She alleges that officers refused repeated requests to return her religious belongings and that some made derogatory comments about her faith, including calling her a “fake Muslim.”

The complaint states that the items were withheld for 38 days, from September 29 to November 6, 2023, preventing the woman, according to her account, from fully observing her Islamic religious practices during that period.

The plaintiff argues that the confiscation and refusal to return her Quran, prayer rug and hijab violated her constitutional rights to freedom of religion and religious practice while in custody.

The case raises broader questions about the protection of Muslim prisoners’ religious rights in the United States, including access to essential religious items and the ability to perform religious observances in correctional facilities.

No court ruling has established the allegations as fact. The claims remain allegations presented in the lawsuit, pending judicial review and a final determination.