Muslim woman arrested for not taking off headscarf

A woman was arrested Tuesday for contempt of court in west Georgia after she refused to take off her hajib, the headscarf worn by Muslim women.

Chris Womack with the Douglasville Police Department says 40-year-old Lisa Valentine, who goes by her Islamic name Miedah, was ordered jailed for 10 days by Municipal Court Judge Keith Rollins. She violated a court policy that prohibits people from wearing anything on their head.

Valentine's husband, Omar Hall, said she was released from jail Tuesday evening. He called the judge's actions unconstitutional and humiliating.

The judge could not be reached for comment.

Last year, a Muslim woman in Valdosta made headlines when she was ordered to remove her hajib in Municipal Court. Officials cited homeland security reasons for forcing her to do so.

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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
http://www.ajc.com

(AP)