The New York Department of Corrections is being sued by inmates at Woodbourne Correctional Facility over a mandatory lockdown that would deny them the chance to see a rare solar eclipse.
The inmates argue that the lockdown infringes upon their constitutional right to practice their religion, as witnessing the solar eclipse holds significance for them spiritually.
According to the lawsuit, the group of inmates includes individuals from diverse religious backgrounds, such as a Muslim, a Baptist, a Seventh-Day Adventist, two Santería believers, and an atheist.
They’ve “expressed a sincerely held religious belief that April’s solar eclipse is a religious event that they must witness and reflect on to observe their faiths.”
Jeremy Zielinski, an inmate, highlighted the eclipse’s importance to his atheist beliefs, symbolizing “science and reason,” as per their lawsuit. Yet, the lockdown announcement took away their chance to witness it.
“Mr. Zielinski firmly believes that observing the solar eclipse with people of different faiths is crucial to practicing his own faith because it is a central aspect of atheism to celebrate common humanity and bring people together to encourage people to find common ground,” the lawsuit states.
According to New York news outlet Hell Gate, David Haigh, a Seventh-Day Adventist, shared, “It will be 20 years before another opportunity like this exists. I don’t believe that just because I am incarcerated that I should be denied this opportunity, especially when this eclipse is scheduled to happen during normal outside recreation time.”
A representative for the Department of Corrections stated that safety glasses for viewing the eclipse would be provided to inmates “in the event they will be able to view the eclipse from their assigned work location or housing units.”
