US: Muslim Inmates Sue Oregon Prisons Over Halal Meals and Religious Rights

US: Muslim Inmates Sue Oregon Prisons Over Halal Meals and Religious Rights
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Three Muslim men have filed a federal lawsuit against Oregon prison officials, claiming they were denied meals compliant with Islamic dietary laws and other religious accommodations, The Oregonian reported. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Pendleton, alleges the Oregon Department of Corrections failed to provide halal meals, communal prayers, family visits, and celebrations for major Islamic holidays, while offering similar support to other faiths.

The men, represented by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, want a judge to require prisons to provide certified halal meals daily and during Ramadan, Eid-al-Fitr, and Eid-al-Adha. The lawsuit claims halal feasts were offered before the COVID-19 pandemic but have not resumed.

Two plaintiffs remain at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution, while the third was released in January. The Department of Corrections declined to comment on the pending case but reiterated its mission to protect communities and transform lives.