Muslim Man Complains Probation Service In Britain Refuses Religious Accommodation

In Birmingham, England, a Muslim man-- once active in the Conservative Party-- is objecting to the way he is being treated by the West Midlands Probation Service. Yesterday's Birmingham Mail reports that 43-year old Gulfram Khan was sentenced to a total of 270 hours of community service on two separate charges. One involved his racially insulting an Irish policeman who Khan says discriminated against his family. The second conviction stems from Khan's losing his temper at a civil court judge presiding over a financial management hearing. Khan is supposed to perform 8 hours of unpaid work each Wednesday through December. He asked, however, for a two-hour break in his community service schedule during Ramadan, fearing that his fasting would leave him unable to work the full time. His request was refused, and Khan now says that the Probation Service is prejudiced against Muslims.