CNN Sued for Alleged Racial Discrimination

In response to an injury sustained in 2014, a foreign correspondent claims CNN did not provide her with alternative duties or rehabilitation support.

By Ashley Turner

An ex-CNN reporter is suing the channel for unfair dismissal and racial discrimination after she was seriously injured in Israel while on assignment. While reporting from Jerusalem on the Israel-Palestine conflict, British-Pakistani journalist Saima Mohsin's cameraman ran over her foot in a car, resulting in severe tissue damage that has left her unable to sit, stand, walk, or return to full-time employment. The foreign correspondent claims CNN refused her request for alternative duties and rehabilitation support following the 2014 incident, according to The Guardian. She also contends that CNN told her, "you don't have the look we are looking for," when she requested to switch to a presenting role to reduce traveling time. The media company terminated her contract three years later.

After the life-altering injury, she filed an employment tribunal claim, scheduled for hearing in London on Monday, alleging to The Guardian that the network failed to support her. "I worked hard to become an international correspondent and loved my job with CNN. I risked my life many times on assignment for CNN believing they would have my back. They did not." Also alleged in Mohsin's claim is discrimination based on race and disability, as well as gender pay inequality at CNN. When she was ready to go live on the ground, she claims managers chose white American correspondents to appear on air instead of her and that she was denied high-profile on-air opportunities.

Despite The Guardian's request, CNN declined to comment on the allegations. According to the broadcaster, Mohsin has no right to file a lawsuit in London on territorial grounds. In addition to her freelance work for Sky News, Mohsin produced a program for ITV that explored the pain of living with invisible disabilities. Journalist safety and the treatment of women of color in journalism are vital issues raised by her claim, she told The Guardian.

"This should cause concern for all foreign correspondents who travel around the world – and take risks to do their journalism in the belief their employer will take care of them. "I'm also taking the opportunity to highlight the racism and gender pay gap issues that I experienced. I was repeatedly let down and denied the ability to achieve my potential while I was at CNN. I am bringing my claim to take a stand and call for change to ensure women journalists, and women journalists of color, are better protected."

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