Justly Prudent files discrimination lawsuit to protect Egyptian American

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia - Today, Justly Prudent announced the filing of a federal discrimination lawsuit to seek justice for Basma Eloufi, a U.S. citizen of Egyptian origin. The complaint alleges that Ms. Eloufi's former employer, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. (MBN), and her former supervisor Salim Allawzi, engaged in years-long campaign of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against her based on her status as an Egyptian female.

Filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the lawsuit details how Ms. Eloufi was subjected to persistent discriminatory treatment throughout her four-year employment at the organization, despite her exceptional qualifications and significant contributions to MBN's digital content—including award-winning work that earned her a Telly Award.

The complaint alleges that Ms. Eloufi endured offensive and demeaning remarks about her Egyptian heritage, including being told she "came from the country of belly dancers and whores" and that Egyptians are "ignorant and do not know how to write." According to the lawsuit, when Ms. Eloufi reported this conduct to management and human resources, MBN responded by promoting her harasser to be her direct supervisor.

The lawsuit further alleges that after reporting discrimination, Ms. Eloufi faced significant retaliation, including being stripped of her content creation responsibilities, isolated from colleagues, denied promotional opportunities, and ultimately terminated while on protected 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."

Ms. Eloufi's claims arise under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 1 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 (42 U.S.C. § 1981), and the Virginia Human Rights Act. She seeks compensatory and punitive damages, back pay, front pay, and attorney fees.

The case is Basma Eloufi v. Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc., et al. (Case No. 1:25-cv-543), filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.