"DOC accommodates many different faiths inside of our facilities – including those who identify as Muslim," Edge said.
"To the best of our ability, in accordance with Islamic Law, we are providing our Muslim residents the opportunity to succeed during Ramadan by being able to abstain totally from food and drink between dawn and dusk."
"We do not limit the religions these are currently what we have in the facilities," she added. "If someone comes along that wishes to practice a different religion we will accommodate them within the confines of the safety and security of all our residents and staff.”
Around 30 to 40 Muslim prisoners are incarcerated at the correctional facility, Edge said.
Despite Edge's comments, Gadeir Abbas, a senior litigation attorney with CAIR, told Anchorage Daily News that there was one day where the Muslim inmates had nothing to eat.
"There's a day where they ate nothing at all," Abbas said. "Their food was confiscated from them. This is a dire situation."
"We're hoping the courts will see this for what it is – a dire emergency."
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