UNITED SIKHS::Recognize the Human Race as One

Sign the petition to Stop Religious Discrimination in Florida Prison.
Number of Signatories till date: 10881

Despite Jagmohan Singh explaining to the jail officials and filing a motion before the court that having unshorn hair (kesh) is an essential part of his religion, jail officials forcibly cut his hair.
This problem has arisen many times previously in the state of Florida for members of different faiths, and there have been numerous court battles over this issue.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons, which deals with more than 200,000 federal prisoners, as well as several other States, allow inmates to keep their hair for religious reasons, and do not see long hair as a legitimate security risk.
The decision by Duval County Jail affects not only Sikhs, but also Jews, Muslims, Rastafarians, and Native Americans amongst others.
The very reason that Jagmohan Singh came to the United States was in order to escape religious persecution at the hands of the fanatical Taliban in Afghanistan, only to have his religious beliefs violated whilst here.

"The ACLU is very concerned about this important issue and would like to be on the forefront of changing Florida's discriminatory policy."
Glenn Katon, Director, Religious Freedom Project for the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida.
"It is appalling that a Sikh who narrowly escaped religious persecution abroad and immigrated on the basis of religious asylum has suffered the gravest of religious persecution in America, the bastion of religious freedom."
Jaspreet Singh, Staff Attorney, UNITED SIKHS

Click here to Email Governor Charlie Crist

UNITED SIKHS is committed to using all avenues to change Florida's discriminatory prison policy for members of all faiths who keep religiously mandated lengthy hair or beards, whether Sikh, Jewish, Muslim, Rastafarian, or Native American. We urge all who value civil liberties to unite in the bid to overturn this discriminatory policy and stop the violation of Jagmohan's religious beliefs. Jagmohan needs your help to continue to increase pressure on the Governor of Florida and Mayor of Jacksonville to change these discriminatory policies.