Arkansas Supreme Court OKs Limits On Leaders of Prison Religious Services

In Mutaqim v. Lay, (AR Sup. Ct., June 6, 2019), the Arkansas Supreme Court rejected challenges by a Nation of Islam inmate to two separate prison policies. The Court upheld the denial in 2013 to 2015 of several issues of the NOI publication The Final Call because they suggested that readers "rise up and strike out at their oppressors." These were censored to protect prison safety and security. The court also upheld a policy barring religious services from being led by inmates, and allowing them to be led by outsiders only if they are credentialed volunteers who are responsible for the orthodoxy of the religion or sect. NOI volunteers could not be found.  The Court said in part:

During the hearing, ADC’s chaplain testified that this policy is designed to protect prison security and order by preventing the dissemination of unorthodox or heretical views to the respective religion or sect, which could result in violence.  As indicated above, prison security is the most compelling government interest in the prison setting.