In a landmark event that underscores the rights of even those behind bars, a settlement was reached in New York, USA, showcasing that even law enforcement must pay a hefty price for rights violations.
Stemming from a 2018 incident, the police agreed to a settlement, paying out a whopping $17.5 million (approximately 146 crores INR) to the victims to settle the case outside of court. This significant sum is to be distributed among all victims who faced similar injustices, prompting not only a payout but also necessitating changes in the law due to the court actions initiated by the affected women.
Going back to the root of the issue, in 2018, two Muslim women were arrested by New York police under allegations of violating local laws and regulations. However, the women contended these accusations were baseless. Part of the arrest protocol involves taking a mug shot before sending individuals to jail. In this process, the hijabs of the affected women were forcibly removed, making one of the women feel as though she was standing naked in front of the police officers, as she expressed her distress to the media. During the case proceedings, with the help of their lawyer, one of the women filed a lawsuit against the New York police.
