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As Government Prepares to Investigate Thousands, ACLU Issues Multi-Lingual
"Know Your Rights!" Pamphlet to Educate Public
November 21, 2001
MIAMI ? The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida today announced that it is distributing brochures in English, Spanish and Arabic advising people about their rights when stopped or questioned by the FBI, police or INS officials.
The pamphlet ? entitled, "Know Your Rights What to Do If You're Stopped by the Police, the FBI, the INS or the Customs Service" ? contains information for citizens and non-citizens alike and is intended for those who are at risk of becoming innocent targets of government investigations in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
"At a time when thousands of people are being rounded up and detained, it is important that citizens and non-citizens alike understand their rights when being questioned by government," said Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida.
"While the information contained in these pamphlets should not be substituted for legal advice, we encourage people to keep them handy and use them, especially if they feel they're at risk for becoming innocent targets of government investigation," added Simon, who has participated in numerous community events sponsored by organizations including the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Broward Center for Islamic Studies in an effort to inform people about their rights and responsibilities regarding encounters with law enforcement.
These brochures, which answer the vast majority of questions that have been raised about stops, questioning, searches, and the rights of non-citizens, are available from the ACLU of Florida state office in Miami and can be obtained by submitting the request in writing to: Alessandra Soler, Public Education Director, ACLU of Florida, 4500 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 340, Miami, Florida 33137.
Or the brochures can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat/PDF format by visiting the following addresses:
- English: http://www.aclu.org/library/know_your_rights.pdf
- Spanish: http://www.aclu.org/library/know_your_rights_sp.pdf
- Arabic: http://www.aclu.org/library/know_your_rights_ar.pdf
- For more on the ACLU and national security issues, click here.
