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Woman Sues Over Headscarf Removal

Because California jailers forced her to remove it.

A Muslim woman is suing prison officials from Orange County, California, for forcing her to take off her headscarf in a holding cell. The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed Souhair Khatib to proceed with her lawsuit that she filed in 2007. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had earlier rejected arguments that holding cells are not covered by a federal law protecting the religious practices of prisoners, and ruled Khatib had the right to wear the scarf unless officials could show it was a security risk. Orange County officials tried to throw out the litigation, but the Supreme Court refused and the case will now go back to district court. "I think it's a pretty blatant example of discrimination against Muslims,” said Khatib's attorney, Mark Rosenbaum of the American Civil Liberties Union.