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Five convicted child sex offenders have filed a federal lawsuit challenging statutes in the Illinois Criminal Code they say prevent them from exercising fundamental liberties

The plaintiffs, all identified only as John Doe, are suing Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Illinois State Police Director Leo Schmitz over statutes that require convicted child sex offenders to stay away from a “broad range of vaguely defined locations,” according to the lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court.

The plaintiffs say the statutes prevent them from going to church, going to public libraries, raising their families and “meaningfully participating in many recreational and social activities.” The interpretation of these statutes has also differed, making the plaintiffs unsure about when they are committing a felony offense, the lawsuit said.

The statutes at issue prohibit child sex offenders from being at “any facility providing programs or services” for people under the age of 18; “participating in a holiday event” where there are children under 18; being at any public park building or property or loitering on a public way within 500 feet of public parks; and loitering within 500 feet of a school building where there are people under 18.

Source: Chicago Tribune