A Muslim woman recently filed a federal lawsuit against the Cuyahoga County on Thursday, claiming that prison jailers forced her to attend Christian prayer services while she was serving her jail sentence.
Sakeena Majeed, 24 from Rocky River, states that one of the county corrections officers assigned to her forced her to take part in weekly Christian services during her 60-day jail sentence which ended in June.
Majeed stated that officer Regina Watts threatened her of solitary confinement if she refused to attend services. In the lawsuit she filed against the officers, including the entire Cuyahoga County, the jailers even 'openly chastised and mocked her'.
In the report by Cleveland, the Muslim woman suffered 'emotional distress and humiliation', although she did not specify the compensation for the damages, county officials are currently looking at it.
The lawsuit listed as defendants Watts, Sheriff Frank Bova, and the entire Cuyahoga County.
Meanwhile, Bova said in a phone interview that there are Muslim services inside the jail, and all other major religious groups have services available for those who have different faith.
"We accommodate every faith up there, and no one is forced to go to any service," Bova said in the interview. "It's all voluntary."
Majeed's legal counsel, Matthew Besser, said that the county jail requires both Christians and non-Christians to attend services.
"The government can't tell people which god to pray to, or whether to pray at all."