PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon Department of Corrections is facing a federal lawsuit for allegedly denying religious accommodations for three incarcerated Muslim men, according to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court in Pendleton.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations — which claims to be the largest Muslim civil rights group in the nation — announced their lawsuit against ODOC on Tuesday on behalf of Amir’Whadi Hassan and Niaz Khoshnaw, who are in custody at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution along with Hamza Jama, who was previously in custody at EOCI but is no longer in ODOC custody, according to the lawsuit.

The suit alleges ODOC violated the men’s constitutional and statutory rights by refusing to serve certified halal meals and by denying Muslim worshippers the opportunity to celebrate Eid holidays with congregational prayer and family visitations.

According to CAIR, ODOC facilities accommodate religious practices for Jewish, Native American and Christian incarcerated individuals with holiday meals and enhanced visiting privileges that were not granted to Hassan, Khoshnaw and Jama.

The lawsuit claims that before the COVID-19 pandemic, EOCI accommodated the plaintiff’s and other Muslims’ religious holiday celebrations by serving a halal feast. ODOC would also prepare a separate room where participants could invite two family members to Eid celebrations, court documents state.

While other faith groups resumed their holiday celebrations post-pandemic, the lawsuit alleges that incarcerated Muslims — including the three plaintiffs — have been denied family visitations for Eid and have been served lower-quality meals with smaller portions despite other faith groups receiving full accommodations.

“In 2024, EOCI scheduled Eid al-Fitr for April 12 — two days after the holiday had ended on the evening of April 10 — thus denying plaintiffs the ability to observe it,” the lawsuit claims.

“When Plaintiff Khoshnaw grieved the error, Religious Services responded that prison
custom was to observe ‘at least one of the Eids’ on the nearest Friday and claimed
that incarcerated individuals had been notified, and no date-change requests were
submitted,” the lawsuit continues. “Plaintiff Khoshnaw repeatedly explained that Islamic observance requires Eid to coincide with the lunar sighting. Nonetheless, Defendants scheduled Eid al-Adha for the incorrect day—June 21, 2024.

Later, in March 2025, Hassan and Khoshnaw — along with other incarcerated Muslims — sent a letter to the warden asking for Eid al-Fitr to be observed on the proper date, the lawsuit claims.

That request was partially granted with the 2025 Eid prayer taking place on the correct day with a congregational worship and shared meal. However, ODOC withheld the family visitation component, the lawsuit alleges.

When it comes to halal meals, the lawsuit claims, “Despite years of requests by Plaintiffs, EOCI still does not offer a certified halal diet to any incarcerated Muslims. Instead, incarcerated individuals are offered vegetarian or kosher meals as inadequate substitutes for halal meals.”

“This case is about equal access to and accommodations for religious practice,” said CAIR Deputy Litigation Director Gadeir Abbas. “Oregon prison officials have no justification for denying Muslim men the ability to eat in accordance with their faith or celebrate their holiest days as other religious communities are permitted to do.”

“Every faith group deserves equal treatment,” added CAIR Staff Attorney Aya Beydoun. “By denying halal meals and blocking family visitation for Eid—while extending those same accommodations to other religious groups—ODOC is violating both the Constitution and federal law.”

The lawsuit notes that ODOC policy “acknowledges the importance of providing incarcerated individuals with access to religious activities, including special ceremonies, holiday services, and group worship,” adding, “ODOC policy guarantees each faith at least one annual family event and routinely sponsors ‘Enhanced Visiting Events’ for Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays.”

With this lawsuit, CAIR aims to require ODOC to provide nutritionally sufficient and certified halal meals daily, implement food-handling protocols to prevent pork contamination, and restore family visitation and religious accommodations for Eid.

A spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Corrections told KOIN 6 News the agency cannot comment on pending litigation, adding, “The mission of the Department of Corrections is to protect communities, promote accountability, and transform lives.”