British Muslim woman harassed for reading a book about Syrian culture on the plane

17:06 - 09 August 2016

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Faizah Shaheen

British Muslim woman reported her for “suspicious behaviour” while reading a book about Syrian culture on a flight to Turkey.

Free-speech groups have condemned the detention of a British Muslim woman after a cabin-crew member reported her for “suspicious behaviour” while reading a book about Syrian culture on a flight to Turkey. Guardian UK reported.

Faizah Shaheen, 27, a psychotherapist in Leeds, United Kingdom was harassed and detained by police at Doncaster airport for reading the title Syria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Frontline.

Police officers questioned Shaheen for 15 minutes under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act, under which the police can detain individuals without grounds for suspicion of involvement in criminal activities, including terrorism. Guardian UK added.

Shaheen, told the Independent UK she intends to make formal complaints against the police and Thomson Airways.: “I was completely innocent – I was made to feel like a culprit … I couldn’t understand how reading a book could cause people to suspect me like this. I told the police that I didn’t think it was right or acceptable. I do question if … it would be different if it was someone who wasn’t Muslim.”

The book she was reading was the winner of an English PEN award. Ms Shaheen bought it after it was recommended to her at Bradford literature festival in May.