Challenging religious discrimination in the British Army

Was the Claimant subjected to discrimination and harassment because of his race and/or religion while serving in the British Army?

Mr Ebrima Bayo spent over eight years as a soldier in the British Army. He claimed he experienced numerous acts of race and religious discrimination whilst deployed abroad with the British Army in 2017. He was periodically refused permission to fast during Ramadan; refused access to proper evening meals during fasting; served pork on multiple occasions; denied permission to purchase appropriate meals at his own expense. He was also denied adequate time or facilities to pray, endured offensive taunting from other soldiers and was being ridiculed when in prayer attire. 

Mr Bayo reported his concerns to his chain of command, but they failed to act promptly to address the Islamophobia.

No one should face the treatment that Mr Bayo suffered while at work because of their religion. The Equality Act 2010 outlawed discrimination due to someone’s religion or belief, or due to their race or ethnicity.

The law is clear: no one should be subjected to harassment or discrimination due to their race or religion, either at work or elsewhere. All employers should take note of this case and ensure that they have appropriate protections for their staff.

As Britain’s equality regulator, we have powers to provide legal assistance to victims of discrimination. We used these powers to fund Mr Bayo’s case in 2022.

We helped Mr Bayo secure a formal apology and a favourable settlement in the case.

This case sends a powerful message to all employers to ensure they address Islamophobia within their workforce. There was considerable media coverage of the case which highlighted the issue, the impact of such behaviour and the responsibilities of employers: