Ahead of Ramadan, lawsuit alleges Muslims face religious discrimination in R.I. prison
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'RIDOC has prevented Muslims in HSC from properly observing the holiday, a holy month which requires them to refrain from eating food and drinking water during daylight hours, and to instead eat a pre-dawn meal and break their fast at sunset,' the ACLU alleged in a
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The lawsuit alleges that during Ramadan last year, the Department of Corrections 'required Muslim prisoners to eat their breakfast between 2 and 3 a.m.; repeatedly served their evening meals late; failed to provide them adequate nutrition with skimpy evening meals after not having had any lunch; and interfered with their ability to break the fast communally,' the ACLU said.
Additionally, the prisoners allege Muslims at the high-security facility are not allowed to hold communal prayer sessions, even though Christian prisoners are allowed to do so, according to the ACLU.
The lawsuit also alleges the Department of Corrections 'denies Muslims in HSC regular access to an imam, a Muslim spiritual leader, which 'contrasts with the treatment of prisoners of different faiths, including Christian prisoners, who are . . . allowed to see their chaplains weekly,'' the ACLU said.
The prisoners have also allegedly been denied access to religious items such as prayer rugs and prayer cloths, according to the ACLU.
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A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections did not immediately return a request for comment on Friday morning.
The complaint follows a similar lawsuit filed by the ACLU and the Prisoners' Rights Clinic last year, in which the two groups
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