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TWO Muslim prison officers, who successfully challenged a prison service regulation that required them to be clean-shaven, have been awarded significant damages in their constitutional claims.

The awards were handed down on Thursday by Master Rishma Ramrattan, following a High Court ruling that found the regulation to be unconstitutional and a breach of the officers' rights to freedom of religious belief and observance.

The cases were brought by officers Javed Boodram and Sherwin Ramnarine against the Commissioner of Prisons and the Office of the Attorney General.