The recent surge of Islamophobia in the United States has become a growing concern for US Muslims as more human rights violations are being reported.
There is a growing concern over civil rights abuses of Muslims, including unlawful arrests, detention and violence -- especially against those in prison.
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace recently held a forum in Washington DC addressing these concerns.
Professor John Esposito of Georgetown University, a speaker at the forum, told Press TV, "You will find lawyers of every possible background, basically saying it is very difficult for a Muslim accused in our society to get a fair trial.”
One notable case is that of Dr. Sami al-Arian, a former outspoken professor at the University of South Florida, who was charged in a case related to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a group which the US government considers a terrorist organization.
In 2003, al-Arian was detained, searched and held in solitary confinement for 43 months during and after his trial.
In 2005, a Florida jury acquitted him on eight counts, and deadlocked 10-2 in acquitting al-Arian on the remaining nine counts. He eventually entered a plea bargain with the government and in 2008 was finally released under house arrest.
He has spent the last 25 months awaiting the outcome of his case.
His wife Nahla al-Arian spoke to Press TV about her husband's conditions, "The Muslim community is under attack, for sure. And it is affecting our kids too; it is affecting our daily life. And I don't know when this nightmare will end.”
The case of Sami al-Arian is one of many highlighting abuse of Muslims in the US. According to analysts, as Islamophonia continues to rise, the civil and human rights of Muslims in the US will continue to be threatened.
source : http://www.abna.ir
