Swedish doctor's discrimination against hijab-wearing patient costs him $7,790
A doctor in one of Sweden's health centers demanded that a Muslim woman remove her scarf during her visit, as reported by the Turkish agency Anadolu. The incident happened in March of last year at a medical center in Uppsala in the province of Uppland.
Jan 31, 2024 | updated: 4:35 AM EST, March 7, 2024
Following the incident, the woman complained. After assessing the complaint, the Swedish Ombudsman for Civil Rights gave its verdict in favor of the Muslim woman on Tuesday. The authorities ruled that the health center failed to provide valid reasons for the doctor's actions, determining the incident in Uppsala to be discriminatory. "Ensuring all patients feel safe and treated without discrimination is crucial," said the Ombudsman for Civil Rights.
As reported by News55, a Swedish news portal, despite her complaint being unrelated to any condition that required the removal of her headscarf, the doctor still asked the Muslim woman to do so. According to representatives from the Uppsala region, the health service employee wanted to check the patient's skin condition over her entire body.
The Ombudsman for Civil Rights has ordered the Uppsala region to compensate the woman who suffered this infringement on her rights. The compensation set is 70,000 crowns (approximately 7,790 US dollars). The regional authorities were asked to respond to this judgment by February 12th, or the case will be escalated to the district court, according to News55.
Source: Anadolu, News55
