JEDDAH, 5 August 2004 — A group of Kuwaiti lawyers and human rights activists threatened the administration of a bank with legal action for imposing headscarves on female employees, according to Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News.
The newspaper said the activists alleged that the bank, which is in the process of turning into an Islamic financial institution, was imposing headscarves on female employees and firing non-Muslims.
“Such actions violate the simplest basis of human rights and the Kuwaiti constitution that is against any form of discrimination based on religion, sex or belief,” said lawyer Salah Al-Hashem.
The newspaper said Al-Hashem contacted the head of the Union of Kuwaiti Bank employees Mustafa Ashour and said he and a group of lawyers will take the bank to court if it does not stop targeting its employees.
“We are all ready to defend this case for free. Such actions ... show that we are no different in our racism than foreign parties we have always condemned for their position on headscarves,” Al-Hashem said.
