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UPDATE December 23, 2017: Please see the following post for the latest information: http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2017/12/15/un-human-rights-complaint-quadruples-its-signatures/
UPDATE November 28, 2017:
Also, see MuzzledNoMore’s updated post, United Nations Human Rights Complaint: Seeking Advice and Additional Signatures
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UPDATE November 23, 2017:
UN Complaint Final July 29 2014 – updated links November 23 2017
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UPDATE JANUARY 10, 2017:
From MuzzledNoMore:
Just letting everybody know that we’re still waiting to hear from the UN about the status of our Complaint. With any luck we’ll have the matter taken care of within the next few months by the new Republican administration in Washington. Who knows? Maybe the UN is watching and waiting to see what happens as well. In any regard, the UN has informed us that it can take up to three years for a Complaint to reach the stage at which it will be considered or rejected.
If a “domestic” solution is possible, there will be no need for the UN to address the issue. When we filed the Complaint nearly two and a half years ago we could never have believed that repealing FATCA and switching to residence-based taxation would have made it to the 2016 Republican Party Platform. Now it remains to be seen if the party will follow through with its promises.
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UPDATE MAY 21, 2015:
Today we received official confirmation from the United Nations Human Rights Council that our Complaint has been received and is in the queue pending approval (or not) for admittance into one of the Working Groups. The next session of the Working Group on Communications is scheduled from 17 to 21 August 2015. Further information will be shared with us after that date.
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UPDATE NOVEMBER 6, 2014:
From MuzzledNoMore:
We have finally received confirmation that our Human Rights Complaint against the United States has been received by the United Nations. This is great news! But let’s not pop champagne corks just yet. There is no indication that the Complaint has been read or considered for acceptance into the complaints process in any way. That is all yet to come. But we have made a huge step forward! That deserves a few cheers all round … even without the bubbly!
UPDATE OCTOBER 27, 2014:
Permission has been given a university researcher to access to our UN Human Rights Complaint to analyze ethical assumptions on FATCA. That access will be used for academic purposes, content not to be released (as the UN has not yet acknowledged receipt of this UN Human Rights Complaint).
We view as a significant step that this document will be studied for moral dimensions and ethics. We continue to anticipate the time we will be able to publicly release contents of the Complaint, likely AFTER the next scheduled meeting to review such complaints, sometime in April 2015.
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UPDATE SEPTEMBER 10, 2014:
“JC” commented, and he’s right:
Whenever that text for the human rights complaint comes out that, I believe, will be a big help at raising awareness.
The text of the Human Rights Complaint will be published when we know the UN has received and considered it. There has been no confirmation that our submission was considered for the meeting in August (…our submission was sent just before the August meeting so, just by number of other submissions received before ours, our Human Rights Complaint may not have been considered in the time allotted). It looks like the next UN meeting to consider Human Rights Complaints is scheduled for April of 2015 — that Committee meets twice a year.
In the meantime, our fundraising must be pinned to its stand-alone legal claim and importance which absolutely addresses our human rights issues.
Donate Now: http://adcs-adsc.ca/
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August 7, 2014 UPDATE:
The Human Rights Complaint has been submitted. Thank you to those who worked on the document and made this happen. A very special thank you to all who came forward to put your names on this important document. We had a total of 41 signers, representing the countries of Canada, Germany, Japan, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Estonia, Switzerland and Belgium.
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August 5, 2014 UPDATE:
Note: there is a confidentiality clause in the document that your name / nationality / country be kept confidential. My name and address will be the only one that might not be confidential. I wanted to share with you two notes waiting for me this morning:
Hi Carol,
I am very disappointed that more people did not come forward and sign this document, I do not understand why people are afraid to speak up for what they believe. People are so afraid of the bully acts of the USA, We must stand together, I am asking all people that the US government deem US citizens to step forward and stand up against the US and the Harper government for allowing FATCA into the Canadian banking system.
I am not on facebook or twitter. I give you permission to post this.
Disappointed
XXX
Hi Carol,
I am surprised that so few people have signed. This makes me uneasy. People must be frightened. Do you expect repercussions against the signers? At the moment I don’t have the strength to deal with any more troubles. Would you please put a hold on my name until I can evaluate your assessment of possible repercussions.
Thank you,
YYYY
I answered YYYY:
Absolutely. I can take your name off the list of signers if you are not comfortable with that — you must be OK with your decision. We will probably be sending the Complaint on Thursday, August 7th .
No, we don’t expect any repercussions against any of the signers. We will ask for confidentiality in one of the clauses.
As with everything else of this with this (persons on blogs, getting together for protest, etc.), people are afraid to step forward. The US weapon toward its people always is FEAR. That is what we see here. That is our biggest obstacle and what may defeat us in the end.
Dr. Stephen Kish, Chair of the Alliance for the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty signs his name on behalf of the millions of *US Persons* Abroad who are afraid to sign.
Thanks, YYYY.
FEAR: the most effective tool the USA has at its disposal is at work in all we see regarding US Persons Abroad coming forward in unison to fight the good fight. If anything defeats us, it will be our FEAR.
As you all know, I fear too for my son’s name to be out there as it is my duty as a parent to protect his best interests. Because of my own fear, I went through all the complex back US tax filings through use of professionals in the US compliance industry. That was my choice as I could absolutely not do it myself and I so wanted this behind me, to stop the leak of my hard-earned retirement funds to be passed to the US IRS. I’m still in this game. I replied to a commenter at Isaac Brock yesterday and Stephen Kish picked part of what I said to update the ADCS-ADSC Charter Challenge post yesterday:
UPDATE August 5, 2014 (http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2014/06/01/its-time/)
Carol, an ADCS-ADSC Board Director, explains why she donated to this lawsuit:
The purpose of the lawsuit, to me, is to stop the obscene injustice of all of this, regain rights waived by the Canadian government’s implementation of the US FATCA IGA, thereby putting the financial institutions before individuals and families who are being criminalized!
I’m in for that just as I’m on this blog, hoping people learn from all of the stupid mistakes I made along the way — I don’t want others to make those same mistakes.
It’s about people getting their lives back, along with their dignity and their mental and physical health and to stop the the handing over to the US a good portion of what they’ve saved for their retirements.
It is about wanting Canada to remain a sovereign country, not taken over by the USA. It’s about what I think is right and not wanting to silently stand by and let this happen. It’s because I believe in free speech and don’t want to be shamed into not speaking out, at this point especially for other families who have a family member with some developmental disability or some other ‘mental incapacity’.
My update for now and my regards to all,
August 2, 2014 UPDATE:
Thank you very much for everyone who has corresponded to me at calgaryfouroneone@gmail.com to request the password and give permission for your signatures to be added. Your supportive emails are wonderful.
He is what we have for signers to the Human Rights Document:
18 – Canada
2 – UK
1 – Australia
1 – Belgium (US/Dutch Citizen)
1 – Denmark
1 – Germany
1 – Japan
1 – Switzerland
Note that one of the Canadian signers is Dr. Stephen Kish (Canadian, US)–signing personally, and on behalf of the “Alliance for the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty” Board of Directors, and the millions of U.S. persons living abroad who are too frightened to sign this document.
Also waiting to hear back from 4 in Canada (one from Quebec) and one from New Zealand.
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July 30, 2014 UPDATE:
Here is the FINAL Human Rights Complaint, available to those that are considering signing. To access the password for this document, contact and request from calgaryfouroneone@gmail.com.
Each person sending a request will receive a copy from calgary411 “in Confidence” with the CLEAR understanding that it is NOT to be published. For anyone who wants to have another person read/sign the document, that other person also needs to obtain it through the Isaac Brock Society or Maple Sandbox channels. Signatures will only be accepted from those who have gotten the document through calgary411. This stipulation is necessary to keep some lid on the proliferation of this information.
We will announce when we know the timing for the agency committee looking at this document for review. We will update on this post any feedback from the agency as it is received.
This document is the collaboration of contributors to both blogs and took over a month to write, discuss and edit in consensus with a group of 15 who have vetted and approved it in its entirety. It stands as presented to them. Bloggers can have their say but there will be no further changes to the document. It is what the agency says that matters.
Sign if you are in agreement and can do so by providing to calgaryfouroneone@gmail.com your name and your nationality and/or country of residence. The Human Rights Complaint will be submitted electronically. Submitters’ names and nationalities will be typed onto the lines provided on page 1. No physical signature is required.
If you are not comfortable with the document, you do not have to sign.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
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Two dedicated individuals who participate at both the Isaac Brock Society and the Maple Sandbox blogs have prepared a comprehensive Human Rights Complaint that will be submitted on behalf of all *US Persons Abroad* the world over. Others offered suggestions on how that information should best be presented in the constraint of number of pages allowed for the Complaint. We appreciate the legal eye and suggestions for going forward with this Complaint from Professor Allison Christians.
The document now complete, I have been asked to post an announcement on their behalf. Unfortunately, because of their personal situations, they cannot lend their names to the document and this will be the end of Phase I, produced for all of us, with their great care.
I so appreciate the incredible work that has gone into this on behalf of all of us. Here is what they say:
A group of writers from the Isaac Brock Society and Maple Sandbox blogs has prepared a document that challenges citizenship-based taxation (CBT) as a violation of internationally recognized human rights. This document will be submitted as a formal complaint to a major international human rights organization within the next ten days.
Any readers who would like to support this effort by “co-signing” (having their names added to the list of those filing the complaint) should so indicate by sending an email to: calgaryfouroneone@gmail.com.
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The Canadian writers of the complaint hope to make this a truly international effort. Bloggers from all over the world are welcome to lend their names to this historic document. Signers do not have to be US Persons.****************
Signers should feel comfortable with using their own names (pseudonyms are unacceptable in this instance) and should provide their nationality and/or country of residence as well.
A letter has been sent to the United Nations to mark the 5th Anniversary of the filing of our Human Rights Complaint. The letter itself cannot be published as all communications with the UN are deemed confidential by that body. The letter brings the UN up to date on the developments of the last year a half (since we were last in contact). I thought that those who have been following the progress (?) of the Complaint over the last five years would like to know that the Complaint is still very much “in play” and has not been forgotten despite the long periods of complete silence.
Although we are receiving absolutely no communication from the United Nations in response to our periodic “reminder letters”, we will not let the matter rest until we receive official notice that our Complaint is to be heard.
March 2020 – Any update?
Aaron: Thank you for asking. Sadly, there is nothing to report. And, with the current world situation I doubt we’ll see any action on our Complaint for some time. Nonetheless, the U.N. will be reminded once again this summer that we’re still waiting. Meanwhile, my best wishes to you while we all navigate our way through the present crisis.
This needs to be updated.
Today marks the 6th anniversary of the filing of a United Nations Human Rights Complaint against the U.S. practice of “Citizenship-Based Taxation” and its extra-territorial enforcement via FATCA. Other than official acknowledgment of its receipt there has been no communication from the United Nations since. Now, with the world’s attention diverted by a crisis of unprecedented proportions, I see little chance that any attention will be given us until the pandemic is over.
A period of economic recovery will surely follow and, with it, a golden opportunity for us to reinvigorate our grievance against the United States to a world that may be much more disposed to our point of view. And in the U.S. itself, completely coincidentally, a new era of attention to human rights is being born. Dare we hope that we might be thrown a crumb?
As we wait in the wings, I wish health and safety for all of you as well as the fortitude to continue hoping for justice.
@MNM
This is a huge disappointment, as I know how much effort you and others put into this complaint. Perhaps your enthusiasm will get a boost when John Richardson, Karen Alpert and Laura Snyder release their recent webinar on tax residence, labor mobility and human rights with a close focus on the US’s citizenship-based taxation and its myriad of problems.
Suzanne: I’m sure it will! But I’d rather the UN’s interest in helping us would get the boost! 🙂
Meanwhile, I’ll look forward to the webinar!
Note what happened to the WHO when they upset the USA. I don’t believe the UN will ever act.
@MNM
Heavy hitters John Richardson, Karen Alpert and Laura Snyder address CBT and human rights in a recent webinar. Very interesting:
https://youtu.be/YEbjfIOmR-U
Suzanne: Thank you SO much for posting the link to the Webinar. Have just started watching it and it promises to be a very important discussion.
Mike: If they don’t act and never plan to, I would hope that at least they would formally release us from our agreement not to publish the Complaint while it is “in the process.”
You’re welcomed me. Engage, enrage and enjoy!
Thanks once again @MNM for keeping us updated!
You know who will like to point out human rights abuses by the US? China and Russia. They recently won seats on the UN Human Rights Council.
https://nypost.com/2020/10/14/china-and-russia-win-seats-on-un-rights-council-saudis-lose/
I think China and Russia would support expat Americans in filing human rights abuse complaints at the UN Human Rights Council.
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/ComplaintProcedure/Pages/HRCComplaintProcedureIndex.aspx
Rect: Interesting development. Maybe this might get us some traction, finally. But how twistedly sad it is to have to feel we need to pin our hopes on dictatorships to give us back our freedom. I wonder if there is the slimmest possibility that the United States itself will come out the other side of the pandemic a more compassionate – a more human – country. We’ll see.
Come on! Don’t you think the U.N. has more important things to worry about?
” Come on! Don’t you think the U.N. has more important things to worry about?”
Covid ,of course, and helping to direct the vaccine to where its most needed. However, when it comes to human rights its a coin toss as to its usefulness since most member nations ( Human Rights council) have/had a human rights taint of one kind or another,now or the in past.
” I wonder if there is the slimmest possibility that the United States itself will come out the other side of the pandemic a more compassionate – a more human – country. We’ll see.”
Now ,that is strange to say. With a smiling warm face Biden will wash away all the hurt and wounds and it will be like the old times again . And what about the those painful memories of abuse ?
As your ”friend” (US) tossed you under the bus, wouldn’t you take the hand ,of even, the devil to saves yourself? Even in that unlkely scenario, I would take that hand and remember.
Any updates on this complaint to the UN?
August 7, 2021 marks the 7th Anniversary of the filing of our Human Rights Complaint to the United Nations. To date, no communication has been received from the UN regarding its “progress” save for the initial acknowledgement of its receipt. Likewise, the letters of reminder that we have sent periodically have not elicited any response. There appears to be nothing we can do to expedite the process and we can only assume that the Complaint remains in the queue awaiting attention. Sadly, I fear we are in a very long line, the current state of the world providing little hope for a resolution. For the moment we have to be satisfied that the “ball” has been served and remains in their court.
The U N was never an appropriate venue for our problem. They have more important things to deal with. Unfortunately they seem incapable of dealing with these more important matters