Muslim Women Told to Remove Veils during Prison Visit
Cageprisoners Action Alert | 27.06.2010 22:00 | Anti-racism | Terror War
Cageprisoners has received disturbing reports from the families of prisoners in the Detainee Unit at HMP Long Lartin that Muslim women visiting relatives - who have been held without charge or trial for years on end - were told to remove their hijaabs (head coverings) and niqaabs (veils) in order to be photographed for security purposes on Saturday, 19th June. This information has been confirmed by the prisoners' legal representatives who have written to the prison authorities asking for an explanation regarding the events of last week.
A statement issued on behalf of one of the families by the Islamic Observation Centre reads:
“The wardens and inspectors of Long Lartin Prison deliberately force Muslim women to uncover their hair in front of the prison cameras to allow them to enter for visits. After we refused, they provoked us and said that women are allowed to uncover their hair, and that we were obliged to acquiesce to their order because some Muslim ulema [religious jurists] have issued fatwas allowing this.”
The families of the prisoners have been visiting their loved ones for several years and have never been required to make this particular concession which is a clear infringement on their basic religious and personal freedoms.
Noting that whilst the current incident is regarding family visits the statement goes on to mention the wider frustrations of men held without due legal process for years:
"These have been their practices from the beginning, and we have suffered from them for a long time; however, these practices are getting fiercer everyday against our faith. They are restricting us, and take revenge on us by all means through false behaviour and pretexts, such as cancelling and delaying the visits, and by deliberately making the dogs touch us."
The men in the Detainee Unit have been prohibited from interacting with any other prisoners for almost a year now. Until the policy changes, the wives, sisters and daughters of these men will not be able to visit them. Few people, other than their immediate families – and some have no one in the UK – come to visit them. If these measures continue unchecked it will only lead to their further isolation.
We encourage activists to contact the prison authorities at HMP Long Lartin asking that these measures are looked at thoroughly and that the rights of prisoners and their families are respected:
HMP Long Lartin (Detainee Unit)
Governor: Simon Cartwright
South Littleton
Evesham
Worcestershire
WR11 8TZ
Tel: 01386 295 100
Fax: 01386 295 101
You can also register your complaints with the Ministry of State for Justice:
Kenneth Clarke MP QC
Minister of State for Justice
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
United Kingdom
“The wardens and inspectors of Long Lartin Prison deliberately force Muslim women to uncover their hair in front of the prison cameras to allow them to enter for visits. After we refused, they provoked us and said that women are allowed to uncover their hair, and that we were obliged to acquiesce to their order because some Muslim ulema [religious jurists] have issued fatwas allowing this.”
The families of the prisoners have been visiting their loved ones for several years and have never been required to make this particular concession which is a clear infringement on their basic religious and personal freedoms.
Noting that whilst the current incident is regarding family visits the statement goes on to mention the wider frustrations of men held without due legal process for years:
"These have been their practices from the beginning, and we have suffered from them for a long time; however, these practices are getting fiercer everyday against our faith. They are restricting us, and take revenge on us by all means through false behaviour and pretexts, such as cancelling and delaying the visits, and by deliberately making the dogs touch us."
The men in the Detainee Unit have been prohibited from interacting with any other prisoners for almost a year now. Until the policy changes, the wives, sisters and daughters of these men will not be able to visit them. Few people, other than their immediate families – and some have no one in the UK – come to visit them. If these measures continue unchecked it will only lead to their further isolation.
We encourage activists to contact the prison authorities at HMP Long Lartin asking that these measures are looked at thoroughly and that the rights of prisoners and their families are respected:
HMP Long Lartin (Detainee Unit)
Governor: Simon Cartwright
South Littleton
Evesham
Worcestershire
WR11 8TZ
Tel: 01386 295 100
Fax: 01386 295 101
You can also register your complaints with the Ministry of State for Justice:
Kenneth Clarke MP QC
Minister of State for Justice
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
United Kingdom
Cageprisoners Action Alert
Homepage:
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