As a prisoner, I have also experienced and observed some good things in Britain.  For instance, I was taken to Birmingham and Redditch hospitals when I fell ill.  In Birmingham, I saw a Muslim lady Dr. wearing Shalwar-Kameez and a scarf.  She looked graceful!  The hospital staff, patients and visitors seemed to be quite comfortable with her unique dress.  This made me wonder of some so called Muslim countries like Turkey and Egypt, which expelled scarf-wearing female university students.  Egypt had reportedly expelled and army officer, who had performed Haj.  It was also mentioned that the practising Muslims in the Egyptain army face discrimination and not promoted.

I spent about 3 weeks in Redditch hospital.  I was kept handcuffed and guarded by a group of officers round the clock.  At no stage, did any Dr. or nurse made me feel that I was a prisoner.  They treated me as a patient.  I was very impressed by their professionalism.  Previously, I had been taken to Durham hospital.  At that time, I was a “High Risk” prisoner, who couldn’t be moved anywhere without heavily armed police.  The car of prison officers escorting me, was surrounded by the armed police.  When we arrived in hospital, there was a group of police officers surrounding the hospital and ready to shoot any suspect trying to rescue me.  The prison officers said to me they never saw such a heavily armed police escorting a prisoner during their professional life.  Therefore, I must be a very dangerous man in the eyes of top people in the home office.  This was my first experience in a British hospital as a prisoner.  So, I thought the doctors and nurses must also be thinking that I was a dangerous man and therefore terrified.  To my amazement, one of them assured me “don’t worry we are not as cruel about these mad police officers!”  In my experience, the prison health care staff have also been very professional.

During the early years of my sentence, I was not allowed to visit the Library, unlike other prisoners.  I wasn’t even permitted to request Law and Psychology Books.  The home office wanted to keep me ignorant of the British legal system.  I challenged in the court and the home office conceded before the hearing could take place.  To beat the unjust people with full satisfaction, I started two separate degrees in law and psychology at the same time.  The Long Lartin education department also set up an Islamic study class at our request, but it collapsed after some time due to lack of interest and responsibility of a lazy Arab teacher.  The education department is still keen to resume the Islamic classes if we can find an enthusiastic Muslim teacher.

Quayyum Raja
HMP Long Lartin, Evesham