American Civil Liberties Union

The ACLU Human Rights Program works to ensure that the U.S. government complies with universal human rights principles in addition to the U.S. Constitution. The Program uses human rights strategies to complement existing ACLU advocacy on national security, immigrants' rights, women's rights and racial justice. Learn more about the Human Rights Program.


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Human Rights : Press Releases

U.S. Human Rights Record Strongly Condemned by Leading International Body (07/28/2006)
NEW YORK — A United Nations human rights body today expressed grave concerns over the United States’ human rights policies. The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the recommendations and urged the U.S. government to take immediate and vigorous steps to implement them on the state and federal level.

ACLU of Texas Shares United Nation's Concern About Increased Level of Militarization on Border (07/28/2006)
EL PASO, TX — A United Nations human rights body today expressed grave concerns over the United States' human rights record. The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the recommendations and urged the U.S. government to take immediate and vigorous steps to implement them on both the state and federal level. Among the findings from the committee were concerns about the increased level of militarization on the U.S.-Mexico Border, National Guard troops on the U.S.-Mexico border and the enforcement of immigration laws by agents lacking adequate training on immigration issues.

U.N. Committee Blasts U.S. and Michigan on Juvenile Life Without Parole Laws (07/28/2006)
DETROIT — The American Civil Liberties Union today announced that the United Nations Human Rights Committee (HRC) has expressed "concern" over state laws that allow juvenile offenders to be incarcerated for life and has asked the United States to ensure that no juvenile is sentenced to life without parole.

U.N. Human Rights Body Slams Louisiana Actions During Katrina (07/28/2006)
NEW ORLEANS — A United Nations human rights body today criticized Louisiana officials for their actions during Hurricane Katrina, including a police blockade on Gretna New Orleans Bridge, which left thousands of mostly black residents trapped in the city, and the failure to evacuate prisoners from the flooded Orleans Parish Prison. The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, which has long called for investigations into the conditions at the prison and on the bridge, welcomed the report and its recommendations.

Rights Body Harshly Criticizes U.S. Human Rights Record (07/18/2006)
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- A United Nations human rights body expressed grave concerns today about the record of human rights in the United States. The American Civil Liberties Union with a delegation of 10 and working with a broad coalition of other groups is in Geneva to monitor the examination of the United States the U.N. Human Rights Committee (HRC).

Victims of U.S. Human Rights Violations Tell Their Stories at U.N. Meeting in Geneva (07/14/2006)
GENEVA -- The American Civil Liberties Union and the U.S. Human Rights Network hosted a panel today of people who have been victimized by the U.S. government's failure to uphold civil and political rights. On Monday, the U.N. Human Rights Committee (HRC) is scheduled to review the United States’ compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a major international human rights treaty ratified by the United State in 1992.

ACLU Urges U.S. Accountability for Human Rights Violations (07/10/2006)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union today charged the U.S. government with failure to uphold civil and political rights and expressed grave concerns over serious setbacks in rights protections over the past several years

ACLU Condemns U.S. for Failing to Uphold Civil and Political Rights (06/20/2006)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union today released a report to the U.N. Human Rights Committee condemning the U.S. government for failing to comply with its treaty obligations to protect and preserve a range of human rights protections at home and abroad. Drawing attention to some of the most vulnerable members of society, including women, children, minorities, immigrants and the accused, the ACLU offered detailed recommendations to bring the U.S. in line with universally recognized human rights standards.

ACLU Applauds Europeans for Investigating Rendition and Torture Claims, Effort Called a Model for U.S. (05/11/2006)
NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union met today with delegates from the European Parliament to discuss the initial results of their investigation to determine whether "the CIA or other US agents ... have carried out abductions, 'extraordinary rendition', detention at secret sites, detention incommunicado or torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners on the territory of the European Union" in violation of numerous European and International laws.

ACLU Calls for U.S. Accountability Before the U.N. Committee Against Torture (05/08/2006)
GENEVA -- Today the American Civil Liberties Union delivered a petition with more than 51,000 signatures calling for the enforcement of the universal prohibition against torture to the U.S. State Department delegation at the meeting of the U.N. Committee Against Torture in Geneva. The ACLU has been monitoring the committee proceedings and providing information about U.S. sponsored policies and practices of torture and abuse at home and abroad. The U.S. delegation denied on Friday that incidents of detainee abuse are systemic.

U.S. Fails to Uphold Torture Treaty Abroad and at Home (05/04/2006)
GENEVA -- The U.S. government is in clear and unequivocal violation of its obligations under the Convention Against Torture, the American Civil Liberties Union charged today at the opening session of the U.N. Committee Against Torture in Geneva. According to the ACLU, these violations were widespread and occurred both within the U.S. and abroad. The U.N. Committee Against Torture will review U.S. compliance with the treaty which it ratified in 1994.

ACLU Releases First Government Authentication of Abu Ghraib Abuse Images Along With One New Photo (04/11/2006)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union today released the first official U.S. government authentication of images of detainee abuse by U.S. forces at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The Department of Defense was forced to turn over the information as well as one additional image as a result of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the ACLU in 2003.

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