صراط عشق صراط عشق
A legal win by a Muslim woman, ‘Asiyah,’ who pursued a judicial review against the UK Metropolitan police after she was coerced to remove her hijab at Heathrow airport, is the latest event to highlight the Islamophobic nature of Schedule 7 stops.
Police have admitted that forcing Muslim women to remove their headscarves at UK airports could be unlawful and paid £15,000 to 25 year old “Asiyah”.
The police conceded that removing her hijab and taking photos of her breached her human rights and the retention of the photos was therefore unlawful, according to TRTWorld.
A transcript of a recorded interview with the 25-year-old woman, and male officers at Heathrow airport in October 2018 reveals that police told her that “we can take photographs that we need by force”, The Guardian reported.
Asiyah, born in London, said that being told to remove her hijab by the two male officers present was like being told to get naked.
Human rights group Cage says it has seen a number of similar cases, which could suggest an undisclosed strategy by police to target Muslim women at UK airports.
Anne McMurdie, a solicitor at Birnberg Peirce, who represented Asiyah, said, “Stopping people on a suspicionless basis and intruding on their religious observance and private life without any reason is an abuse of a power, which is already very draconian”.
The officers were using a controversial counter-terrorism power known as schedule 7, which allows individuals to be stopped and searched at UK airports and ports without there being grounds for suspecting the person of involvement in terrorism. It is an offence if an individual fails to answer questions or does not comply with requests such as removing a headscarf.
Following the legal victory Asiyah said, “Being forced to remove my hijab was the most dehumanising and embarrassing experience of my life. I was made to feel worthless. I felt that my honour had been violated. Schedule 7 is a horrifying experience for a young woman like myself. The fact that the police can behave in such a way without any repercussions is frightening”, 5pillarsuk told.
“It wasn’t easy challenging the police, but with the help of CAGE and my lawyers, I was given the moral support to continue this case, so that no Muslim women should ever have to face this same violation.”
Muhammad Rabbani, Director of advocacy group CAGE which assisted Asiya throughout her case, added, “Asiyah’s victory is a testament to her strength of character and bravery. She pursued a judicial review against the police in order to ensure no other Muslim woman faces what she had to go through. We are proud to have supported her throughout her case and many other women who have experienced the same”.
CAGE says an increasing number of Muslim women have approached them to complain of being “violated” and “humiliated” at Schedule 7 stops by officers compelling them to remove their hijabs for photographs.
