Mar 28, 2025
Today we filed an important federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Basma Eloufi, a U.S. citizen of Egyptian origin, against Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. (MBN) and her former supervisor, Salim Allawzi. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges that Ms. Eloufi endured years of severe discrimination, harassment, and retaliation during her four-year employment at the organization based on her gender and Egyptian ethnicity.
Despite her exceptional qualifications and significant contributions to MBN's digital content—work that earned her a prestigious Telly Award—Ms. Eloufi allegedly faced persistent discriminatory treatment, including offensive and demeaning remarks about her Egyptian heritage. According to the complaint, she was told she "came from the country of belly dancers and whores" and that Egyptians are "ignorant and do not know how to write."
The lawsuit further alleges that when Ms. Eloufi reported this discriminatory conduct to management and human resources, MBN responded by promoting her harasser to be her direct supervisor. Following her complaints, she reportedly faced significant retaliation, including being stripped of her content creation responsibilities, isolated from colleagues, denied promotional opportunities, and ultimately terminated while on protected FMLA medical leave.
"Ms. Eloufi's case represents a disturbing pattern of workplace discrimination that continues to plague many professional environments," said Attorney Jordan D. Howlette, lead counsel at Justly Prudent representing Ms. Eloufi. "Despite her exceptional qualifications and demonstrated success in content creation, she faced persistent harassment and marginalization based solely on her gender and Egyptian heritage. What makes this case particularly troubling is that when Ms. Eloufi courageously reported the discrimination, instead of addressing these serious concerns, MBN responded by promoting her harasser and ultimately terminating her while she was on protected medical leave. We intend to hold MBN and Mr. Allawzi fully accountable for their actions and seek justice for Ms. Eloufi, while sending a clear message that such discriminatory practices will not be tolerated in any workplace."
Read our full press release at: https://www.justlyprudent.com/press-releases/eloufi-discrimination-lawsuit-mbn-egyptian-heritage