Saima Mohsin, a former CNN reporter, has taken legal action against the news-TV station, claiming unfair dismissal and racial discrimination following a severe injury she sustained while on assignment in Israel.
Mohsin, a British-Pakistani journalist, was left disabled after an accident occurred during her coverage of the Palestine dispute in Jerusalem. Her cameraman accidentally ran over her foot with a car, resulting in significant tissue damage that has impaired her ability to sit, stand, walk, and work full-time.
In the aftermath of the incident, which took place in 2014, the correspondent asserts that she requested alternative duties and rehabilitation support from CNN. However, her requests were allegedly denied by the network.
Mohsin further alleges that she proposed a transition to a presenting role to reduce her travel time, but CNN responded by stating that she did not fit the desired “look.”
Three years later, the channel terminated her contract.
Mohsin, determined to address the lack of support she received following her life-changing injury, has decided to bring her case before an employment tribunal scheduled to take place in London on Monday.
She expressed her disappointment, saying: “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.”
In addition to unfair dismissal, Mohsin’s legal claim includes allegations of race and disability discrimination, as well as a complaint about gender-based pay disparities at CNN.
She contends that the network denied her high-profile on-air opportunities, favouring white American correspondents even when she was fully prepared to report live from the field.
