Justice Department Backs Sikh Inmate On Beard

By Richard Yeakley
Religion News Service

The Justice Department has filed suit against California prison officials on behalf of a Sikh inmate who says his religious freedom was violated when officials punished him for not cutting his beard.

Sukhjinder Basra, incarcerated at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo on a drug offense, was punished for refusing to shave his beard in accordance with prison grooming policy.

The suit states that by requiring Basra to shave, the prison compelled him to rebel against his religious beliefs, a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

"The freedom to practice one's faith in peace is among our most cherished rights," said Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division. "RLUIPA has proven to be a powerful tool in combating religious discrimination and ensuring religious freedom."

RLUIPA became law in 2000 and defends the religious freedom of those in prisons, mental health facilities and state-run nursing homes.

Practitioners of Sikhism hold that cutting one's hair violates God's design.

Comments

[JOZEVZ]

06:18 PM on 03/20/2011

iNterestingly;

WHAT religions are [Being] Incarcerated, then discriminated against... in The FEDERAL and STATE "GO TO JAIL" system(S)?

[Laxsmi de Potrero]

07:32 PM on 03/17/2011

yippee, thanks to the federal government to support each and every religious idea regardless of value of religion. sort of like take your pick of koolaid, we will defend your right to drink koolaid.

[jabrwock]

10:47 AM on 03/21/2011

Why does the government care about beards anyway? Isn't that socialist nanny-state-ism?

[Laxsmi de Potrero]

11:59 AM on 03/21/2011

i think that might be the other way around. shaven beards is to promote uniformity in the prison population. allowing beards is politically correct liberal perhaps.

prisons generally have always cared about what prisoners look like.

[Content of Character]

10:12 AM on 04/20/2011

Just came across this article and your comments. Though you don't value the religion doesn't change that it has value to many. That's what makes Sikhi the 5th largest religion in the world. Despite criminals losing most of their rights, their civil rights should not be taken. People have a right to their legitimate religion.

[OdinsEye]

04:33 PM on 03/17/2011

As long as he keeps it clean and hygiene does not suffer, and there are no safety issues, he should be allowed to keep the beard.

[gevan]

05:19 AM on 03/17/2011

How about if you just singe it around the edges.

[Laxsmi de Potrero]

07:34 PM on 03/17/2011

but does he get to keep his kirpan?

[Barbara Graham]

01:22 PM on 03/19/2011

LOL...I thought of that too!

[Tenjikuronin]

03:20 PM on 04/14/2011

Does the article mention a Kirpan?