FAC and MCARE present to UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva Switzerland
Dear Members and Advocates,
In September 2022, our Florida Action Committee president, Gail Colletta, filed a Complaint with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva Switzerland, entitled “PETITION TO THE UNITED NATIONS TO INVESTIGATE THE UNITED STATES’ SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY AS A VIOLATION OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.“.
That office is the leading United Nations entity in the field of human rights, with a unique mandate to promote and protect all human rights for all people. Every year on December 10th, the world celebrates Human Rights Day, the very day when, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
When a country ratifies (i.e., formally accepts) a U.N. human rights treaty, it becomes obligated to submit regular, periodic reports on its compliance with the treaty’s obligations. These reports are submitted to the treaty monitoring body – or committee – that has been established for each treaty to monitor the compliance of state parties.
The United States government has ratified three of the treaties: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (or ICCPR) in 1992; the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (or CAT) in 1994; and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) also in 1994.
Therefore, the United States is obligated to file periodic compliance reports with the Human Rights Committee under the ICCPR, the Committee Against Torture under the CAT, and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination under the ICERD. The ICCPR report that the US Government submitted 2021 can be read here.
In addition to the report submitted by the U.S. Government, the U.N. Committees encourage active and effective participation of domestic civil society groups in the treaty reporting process, which is essential to a full and accurate review of the U.S.’s human rights record. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such as Florida Action Committee (FAC), the Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equality (MCARE), and other non-profit advocacy groups, can submit reports that highlight issues not raised by their governments or that point out where the government may be misleading the UN committee from the real situation.
In U.N. terminology, this is a called a “shadow report” that is submitted by an NGO to the treaty monitoring bodies that addresses omissions, deficiencies, or inaccuracies in the official government reports. Such information is often vital to assisting U.N. experts in their assessment of a government’s compliance with international human rights treaties. In fact, the official U.N. guidelines for the reporting process anticipate the involvement and consultation of civil society groups during the drafting of the government’s report, but the U.S. government generally has refrained from this type of consultation, which makes the NGO shadow reporting process even more important.
MCARE has been addressing the homeless crisis in Miami Dade, and they recognize that the 2500′ Residency Restrictions placed on registered citizens in that county is one of the contributing factors to the increased homelessness in Miami Dade county. Both MCARE and FAC have been given the opportunity to join a team from the Miami University School of Law to present, in person, our concerns (from our shadow reports) to the U.N. Human Rights committee in Geneva Switzerland next month. While the focus is on the homeless crisis in Miami, the global spotlight will be placed on Florida’s deficiencies and inhumane treatment of our citizens. The visit will also include in-person meetings with U.S. government officials and agencies (such as HUD), and networking with other human rights NGOs with shared issues. The process forges relationships between domestic and international NGOs and U.N. human rights experts, which strengthens the human rights movement both at home and around the world.
Specifically, for FAC, Gail Colletta will be addressing 1) the need to remove residency restrictions, 2) the UN Complaint filed last year, and 3) an update on the change.org petition that continues to gain signatures. FAC, MCARE and the other participants from the team will ask that the U.N. Committee include a stop in Miami on their scheduled US Tour in 2024. That will certainly provide the opportunity for FAC and MCARE to host a public event in Miami that will further raise awareness of the homeless crisis and need to remove ineffective, counterproductive residency restrictions in the state of Florida,
During the month of September 2023, donations made to the FAC General Fund will be applied to the travel expenses for the Geneva Switzerland trip. Donations to FAC can be made online at https://floridaactioncommittee.org/donations/.
If you want to contribute to the matching fund challenge or prefer to make a tax deductible donation to help with the expenses, you can send a check to Justice Transitions/FAC, PO Box 470932, Lake Monroe FL 32747. Please indicate on the memo line how you want your donation to be used.
In the 2024 legislative session, FAC will be certain to let our legislators know that we are placing the spotlight on Florida…statewide, nationwide and globally… to address Florida’s Sex Offender Registry as a violation of human rights and must be abolished.
Sincerely,
The Florida Action Committee (FAC)
membership@floridaactioncommittee.org
833-273-7325 Option 1
ANNOUCEMENTS
Monday Night Support Group – Open to registered citizens and family members, every Monday at 8pmET. Call 760-548-9898 to participate in a group support call facilitated by FAC Regional Coordinators. Find comfort, motivation and encouragement with other members in this no-judgement zone as they share common concerns and interests.
New Member Orientation Call – Thu Sep 14 at 8pm ET. 319-527-3487. NO Agenda. Call in to learn more about the organization, volunteer opportunities, where to find support, get resources and referrals, or just share information. If you have any problem connecting for free, you can text CALL ME to 319-527-3487 for a call back from Free Conference Call and you will be connected to the meeting at no charge.
Family Support Group – Sat Sep 9 from 11am-1pm. By Invitation only for non-registered family members with loved ones on the Registry. Must be an FAC member. To participate, contact membership@floridaactioncommittee.org or call 833-273-7325, Option 1.
Women’s Group for WFR [Women Forced to Register]. For details and more information, contact Danell at fac.region4b@gmail.com or leave message at 772-494-1947.
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MEET and GREETS
Sat Sep 9- Sarasota/Manatee County- 1pm-4pm RSVP to jennifer@floridaactioncommittee.org or call 941-500-4706
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In looking back on the history of the Miami residency history. I would mention this In looking at Doe vs Miami-Dade Country, Florida court case 2:14-cv-2393 (S.D. Fla 2018) “Residency restrictions, when not carefully considered, can relegate individuals to homelessness or severely limit their housing options, all without clear evidence of a benefit to public safety”. Miami passed the 2,500-foot ordinance in 2005 even during the meeting on November 15,2005 on ordinance 05-206 commissioner Carey-Schuler stated “I like to see them disappear, disappear completely. Another chairman Martinez later suggested that forcing these individuals underground was advantageous because “then they violate probation and go back to prison’ and how would these people find housing chairman Martinez said “The Everglades and hopefully Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and the borders”. https://www.aclu.org/cases/doe-et-al-v-miami-dade-county-et-al these laws all were passed with premeditated malice.
The history of these open meeting shows that they wanted this outcome. This is why not just residency restrictions need to be done away with, but the registry period needs to be done away with. Maslow Hierachy of needs list the basics as Physiolgical needs (air, water, food, shelter, sleep, clothing, reproducation) so being on the registry denies you shelter oppertunies and now they want to making sleeping a crime. so again you have these laws that continually deny us just the basic needs. So how are you allowed to progess to the next step of self worth if Maslow Hierachy of Needs pyramid looks more like a jenga set with key pieces missing only for only registrants it shows that this is all plan malice.
This is a monumental opportunity for us to be heard. Please donate whatever you can.
This is good but does it go far enough? I hope you have contacted other groups like NASOL and others in almost every state that is pushing for not only change but total elimination of the registry. Especially because of its regulations of life long obligations with absolutely no need of any evidence to support it . And these all applied. After there criminal obligations were met.
https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
oh Florida is in violation of a bunch of universal rights with the registry. I really do hope FAC mentions that we are only a few remaining states that have no true path off the registry making it a lifetime of punishments.
There are so many countries out there that think the registry is definitely against human rights but are pressured or even worse blackmailed/held hostage into making one of their own by the American government or they will withhold this or that(usually money)
At the very least, it can raise awareness for those who do not know the real story of how we are treated. On the flip side, there will also always be those who hate us so much, they would wish our death and being burned in hot tar in from of a crowd.
There is a group close to where I live that go out on “Predator patrols” (They call all sex offenders predators regardless of being labeled an offender or a predator). I was sitting behind one of their large raised up pick up trucks with a confederate flag and a sticker on their back window of the truck that said “Kill your local predator”.
Once the traffic light changed, I said in my head “Watch them turn into the gun range up ahead”. To no surprise at all, that is exactly what they did. If it wasn’t for their hate filled sticker, I would have laughed about stereotyping them turning into the gun range.
Dear Cherokee and all who may be concerned about these “predator patrols”, look who is really behind them.
https://news.yahoo.com/retired-cop-teacher-predator-patrol-013500440.html
There is a reason many get involved in these predator patrols and legitimate organizations that work to protect children. It provides both cover and, in some cases, access. This article again illustrates that the danger to children is overwhelmingly from people who are not on the registry. These protective organizations might be better served by taking on registrants as volunteers. Registrants rarely recidivate and the organization would be aware of their status.
@Ed
Sadly, the counter to that theory is, registered citizens do not reoffend because the registry is working.
Now pat the registry law makers on the back and give them more funding.
Registry cannot stop anyone from offending. The day I got arrested was my moment of truth, not the registry. It is a bunch of hog feces that the registry is not punishment. If it was not punishment, there would be a registry for every crime. That is why they do not make more of them, the rebellion would shut down the country. And you can take that to the bank.
I’ve heard that argument, and it is bogus. Studies have shown that recidivism has not been positively affected by the registry. Rates are essentially the same before and after registries. Of course those who make that assertion are the same who ignore data. Changing their minds is simply p***ing into the wind.
This is HUGE. Need I say more?