Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) announces the launch of a 24/7 national justice hotline on the day of the presidential inauguration, January 20, 2017. This hotline will provide help and support to those who are targets of racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia.
Following the presidential elections, a wave of anxiety has hit the Muslim American community as well as other minorities mainly due to rising well documented cases of violence, harassment and hate in light of the election.
The callers will be connected with volunteers who will document their incidents and provide assistance on how to secure their civil rights, obtain access to legal services, and other forms of protective assistance.
The Washington D.C. based office of ICNA CSJ has received numerous requests from the community since the recent Presidential election. It took this step after consulting community leaders and legal experts.
The Justice Hotline (844) 99-JUSTICE will either directly address the issue or give advice after consultation with experts in the field.
This service will also be available through an online form at https://icnacsj.org/justicehotline for those who do not prefer to speak over the phone. A chat feature is also available on this same website.
“We hope that this hotline will provide a safe haven for reporting acts of hate, school bullying and discrimination” said Dr. Zahid Bukhari, Executive Director of ICNA CSJ.
The focus is on advice and prevention while the severe cases will be referred to law enforcement. The hotline can also guide community members on coalition building, interfaith alliances and civic engagement at local levels.
ICNA CSJ is working with a team of volunteer attorneys, civil rights activists, community leaders, professional counselors and ICNA volunteers, who have more than 15 years of experience in managing and supporting hotlines. Anyone interested in joining the team can sign up here: https://icnacsj.org/volunteer/
