BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Corrections on behalf of four Jewish inmates seeking kosher meals.
The lawsuit was filed last week after the union was not able to obtain the religious accommodations without litigation, The Idaho Statesman reported (https://bit.ly/2pslGpi ).
The four prisoners who filed the case come from a variety of Jewish practices, but all require kosher food to follow the basic dietary requirements of their religion.
The ACLU states that during Passover last month, two of the four inmates had eaten only fruit and matzo because they say the Department of Corrections did not provide kosher meals.
“Religion is a powerful motivator towards an improved life, and it is especially important to many prisoners in their path to rehabilitation,” said Craig Durham, the inmates’ attorney. “The state of Idaho’s religious discrimination is not just unconstitutional, but counterproductive to the goal of corrections.”
A corrections spokesman says the department cannot yet comment on the lawsuit because it had not been fully reviewed.
The lawsuit claims the department has violated the prisoners’ constitutional rights to free exercise of religion and to equal protection, claiming that the department provides meals that meet the dietary requirements of all but the Jewish religion. The lawsuit also claims that the state is violating federal and Idaho laws that liberally protect religious freedom.
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Information from: Idaho Statesman, https://www.idahostatesman.com
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