LENOIR CITY, Tenn. (WATE) — A Loudon County woman is suing the sheriff and the county, claiming her religious rights were violated during booking.
The lawsuit says deputies forced Hollie Zaki, an observant Muslim, to remove her hijab for a mugshot after her arrest in December 2024 and then posted that photo online. Her booking process was also video-recorded.
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Attorneys argue the action had no valid security reason and humiliated Zaki, whose faith requires her to keep her head covered in front of men. The suit added that male officers were present during her booking.
The lawsuit claims that the forced removal of her hijab violated the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act and Tennessee’s Preservation of Religious Freedom Act.
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The suit seeks damages and an injunction to destroy the photos and videos and to prohibit further use or publication…