Antonio Cerezo is a human rights defender dedicated to political prisoners’ rights in Mexico. He was criminalised and imprisoned because of his human rights activities and he was freed from prison after completing his sentence. His resilience helped him to use his time in prison to support those imprisoned and to campaign about prison conditions. Today he continues fighting for human rights
Following the detention of their brothers Alejandro, Héctor and Antonio in August 2001, Francisco and Emiliana Cerezo Contreras formed the Cerezo Committee to campaign for their release. They have been victims of various episodes of harassment and threats, and PBI has accompanied them and other members of the Cerezo Committee since February 2002. The Committee continues to work for the rights of political prisoners in Mexico. Its work includes documenting the cases of human rights defenders criminalised and imprisoned because of their human rights activities, supporting those imprisoned, campaigning on prison conditions and running human rights and security workshops for human rights defenders and organisations
"You learn to survive in prison. It does not take away your dreams or who you are. You have to face up to who you are but above all you have to live with dignity in a situation that denies your dignity. You meet bad people, but prison is simply a reflection of an unjust society. These are the same people you live with on the street, and it's because of the unjust system that exists in the country. There is impunity for the guilty and punishment for the innocent. You learn to resist." Antonio Cerezo