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Sikh prisoner fighting to stop
Florida jailers from cutting his hair
WSN Network
 Jacksonville,
Florida: Sikh prisoner Jagmohan Singh Ahuja was subjected to inhuman
treatment when, on or about July 1, 2008, jail officers forcibly cut
his hair in Duval County Jail.
It is against a
Sikh's religious practice to cut his/her hair, as kesh (unshorn
hair) covered by a dastaar (Sikh turban) is one of five articles of
faith which a Sikh must keep at all times. Jagmohan was recently
informed by prison officials that his hair will be cut again. Sikh
organisations are now reaching out to end this gross violation of
human rights.
When Jagmohan
Singh initially became aware that it was possible his religious
rights might be violated, his hair would be forcibly cut by the
jail, he requested his public defender to file a motion with the
Duval County Circuit Court. In the motion, Jagmohan asked the public
defender to present evidence of the significance of kesh (unshorn
hair) for Sikhs. The motion was denied by Judge Russell Healey.
Jagmohan again protested the cutting of his hair on the day of the
incident when the correctional officers at the jail informed him his
hair would be cut, by force if necessary. After officers contacted
the Circuit Court Clerk for guidance on the matter, Jagmohan's hair
was cut.
"Despite my
opposition, my hair and beard were cut even after I made clear my
religious beliefs and traditions. This was very traumatic to me
especially because I came to the States in an attempt to avoid
religious persecution," Jagmohan Singh said.
Jagmohan Singh's
mother, who resides in
England,
received correspondence from her son stating that he had become
severely depressed since his hair was cut, and that he did not
recognize himself in the mirror. The sad irony about Jagmohan
Singh's situation is that he narrowly escaped religious persecution
under the Taliban in
Afghanistan,
where Sikhs were not allowed to practice their religion freely under
the tyrannical regime. Jagmohan fled to America in 2001 on the basis
of religious persecution, only to have his dearest of religious
rights violated while serving a sentence for a misdemeanor offense.
The law in
Florida is not favorable to Jagmohan Singh's position. Though the
Bureau of Federal Prisons and many states allow the keeping of
religiously mandated head-dress, long hair, and beards in prison,
current Florida prison regulations allow no such religious exemption
or exception on the basis of security concerns. These regulations
have been repeatedly upheld by Florida courts.
27 August, 2008
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