Muslim woman wins 7 years court case against Abercrombie and Fitch

The US Supreme Court ruled in favour of a muslim woman named Samantha Elauf after seven year of her case being denied of a job because of her headscarf. The case was taken up by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after she was turned down for the job in 2008, aged 17.

"Observance of my faith should not have prevented me from getting a job. I am glad that I stood up for my rights and am happy that the EEOC was there for me and took my complaint to the courts," the 24-year-old said.

The young woman first won £13,000 when the case was heard before a federal district court, but the Court of Appeals in Denver, Colorado, threw it out and ruled in favour of Abercrombie. The high court then backed Elauf, from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Nihad Awad, the national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said:

"We welcome this historic ruling in defence of religious freedom at a time when the Amercan Muslim community is facing increased levels of Islamophobia."

As well as support from Muslim groups, organisations representing Christians, Jews and Sikhs also voiced their support of Elauf.

However a spokesperson for Abercrombie has said the case will continue, claiming that the justices had not ruled that discrimination took place.

"We will determine our next steps in the litigation," the spokesperson said.