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Interview 27: Cerezo Committee

The Cerezo Committee is an organization dedicated to the defense of the human rights of political prisoners in Mexico. It was founded after the arrest, torture and imprisonment of the brothers Alejandro, Hector and Antonio Cerezo Contreras and Pablo Alvaredo Flores; all detained in a high security prison in 2001. Viento de Libertad is a project of the Cerezo Committee with the aim of documenting cases cases of political prisoners, extrajudicial executions and ”disappeared” prisoners in Mexico.

Interview 27: Cerezo Committee (pdf 850 KB)

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Interview 25: Agnieszka Raczynska about the Protection Mechanism

In 2010, Amnesty International declared1 that 'Mexico is a dangerous country in which to defend human rights'. In a study conducted by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico2, 165 acts of aggression or limitations to the work of human rights defenders (HRDs) were registered, including 15 individuals who were killed between 1 January 2006 and October 2010. In the light of this situation, Mexican civil society organisations have focused on the need to design a governmental mechanism for the protection of at-risk HRDs and journalists. In 2010, dialogue was opened between the government and civil society representatives to discuss the establishment of such a mechanism. In early February 2011, PBI interviewed Agnieszka Raczynska, executive secretary of the National Human Rights Network “All Rights for All” (Red Nacional de Organismos Civiles de Derechos Humanos “Todos los Derechos para Todas y Todos”), also known as 'the Network'. It is comprised of 70 pluralist, non-partisan, non-governmental groups from 23 Mexican states, all working in human rights education, defence and promotion. For almost three years, the Network – together with other organisations – has encouraged the process of establishing protection mechanisms. The Network currently forms part of a group of civil society organisations which seek dialogue with the government, aiming to influence the mechanism's design.

Interview 25: Agnieszka Raczynska about the Protection Mechanism (pdf 390 KB)

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Entrevista20 Freedom of Expression

The Special Rapporteur for the Freedom of Expression from the Inter American Commission for Human Rights, Dr. Catalina Botero Marino, and the Special Rapporteur from the United Nations for Freedom of Expression Dr. Frank La Rue visited Mexico from August 9th to 24th. In this context, PBI interviewed two journalists who work in the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca: Juan Angulo Osorio and Pedro Matias. Juan Angulo Osorio is the Director of the newspaper ‘El Sur de Acapulco’. Having written an article, ‘The lines of investigation: The Counterinsurgency’, which analysed the assassination of PRD Congressman Armando Chavarria Barrera, the State Attorney General of Guerrero ordered his detention and interrogation. Pedro Matias is a well-known Oaxacan journalist who writes for the local daily ‘Noticias’, as well as the national magazine ‘Proceso’. Having been kidnapped and subjected to physical aggressions in 2008, Pedro went to live in Germany. However, he recently returned to Oaxaca where he continues his work as a journalist.

Entrevista20 Freedom of Expression (pdf 1.4 MB)

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Entrevista17 Tlachinollan : Ines Fernandez Before the IACHR

In Lima, Peru, on Thursday 15 April 2010, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights held a public hearing of the claims made by indigenous Me’phaa woman, Inés Fernández Ortega, against the Mexican State. Mrs. Fernández alleges that she suffered torture and sexual assault at the hands of military personnel in 2002. Her lawyers from Tlachinollan Human Rights Centre argued that Inés Fernández’s experience highlights the recurring issues in Mexico, such as the lack of access to justice for women victims of violence; violations caused by the increasing absence of civilian monitoring of the Armed Forces; and the persecution facing those who organise to defend the rights of indigenous peoples. The State repeatedly refused to acknowledge that members of the Armed Forces had raped Inés Fernández, although in the course of the hearing, it did recognise that it had conducted an inadequate investigation into the matter. A PBI Mexico representative attended the hearing in Peru, and conducted this interview with Inés Fernández's lawyers from Tlachinollan afterwards.

Entrevista17 Tlachinollan : Ines Fernandez Before the IACHR (pdf 1.5 MB)

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Entrevista16 Radilla Case Before the IACHR : Interview with Humberto Guerrero, legal director of the Mexican Commission for the Defence and Promotion of Human Rights

On Tuesday 15 December 2009, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights published its first judgement condemning the Mexican State in relation to a person detained and disappeared during the Dirty War (...) PBI interviewed Humberto Guerrero, legal director of the Mexican Commission for the Defence and Promotion of Human Rights (Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos, CMDPDH). The Commission acts as the Radilla family’s legal representative in the case.

Entrevista16 Radilla Case Before the IACHR : Interview with Humberto Guerrero, legal director of the Mexican Commission for the Defence and Promotion of Human Rights (pdf 642 KB)

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Entrevista15 Radilla Case : Head of the Mexican Ministry of Interior's Human Rights Unit comments on the IACHR judgement

On Tuesday 15 December 2009, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights published its first judgement condemning the Mexican State in relation to a person detained and disappeared during the Dirty War. This was the case of Rosendo Radilla Pacheco. Mr Radilla was forcibly disappeared after being detained at a military checkpoint in Atoyac de Álvarez, in the state of Guerrero, in August 1974. The Court established the Mexican State's responsibility for the violation of Rosendo Radilla’s rights to life, liberty and personal integrity. José Antonio Guevara , Human Rights Officer at Mexico´s Ministry of Interior explains to PBI how the Mexican government will comply with this judgement.

Entrevista15 Radilla Case : Head of the Mexican Ministry of Interior's Human Rights Unit comments on the IACHR judgement (pdf 319 KB)

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Entrevista14 Tita Radilla comments on the IACHR judgement on his father’s case

On Tuesday 15 December 2009, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights published its first judgement condemning the Mexican State in relation to a person detained and disappeared during the Dirty War. This was the case of Rosendo Radilla Pacheco. Since 2003, PBI has accompanied Mr Radilla’s daughter, Tita Radilla, because of the threats she has suffered as a result of her work against impunity and in defense of fundamental rights.

Entrevista14 Tita Radilla comments on the IACHR judgement on his father’s case (pdf 2.6 MB)

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Entrevista13 Valentina Cantú before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

On 16 February 2002, Valentina Rosendo Cantú, then aged 17, was victim of sexual assault, torture and deprivation of liberty, allegedly committed by Mexican soldiers. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights accepted the case. PBI has provided accompaniment to Valentina Rosendo Cantú and her daughter as a result of the attacks and threats the two have suffered.

Entrevista13 Valentina Cantú before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (pdf 1.3 MB)

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Entrevista 6 AFADEM CMDPDH: Demand for Justice for the Disappeared from the Dirty War

Demand for justice before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on behalf of the disappeared from the Dirty War in Mexico. Tita and Rosendo Radilla Martínez testify on July 7th

Entrevista 6 AFADEM CMDPDH: Demand for Justice for the Disappeared from the Dirty War (pdf 1.2 MB)

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Entrevista 2 Cerezo Committee

The Cerezo Committee receives Hector and Antonio, freed February 16, 2009. Brigadas Internacionales de Paz began accompanying Emiliana, Francisco and Alejandro Cerezo Contreras, members of the Cerezo Committee in February 2002 following the detention of their brothers Alejandro, Hector and Antonio in August 2001. As a result of the activities they carried out to demand their freedom, Francisco and Emiliana Cerezo Contreras were victims of several episodes of harassment and threats.

Entrevista 2 Cerezo Committee (pdf 705 KB)