Human rights hero inspires on Canada tour
Posted 08-21-2015 at 07:01 AM by DavidRaonic
Canadians recently had the opportunity to meet a human rights hero—and someone they helped free from jail.
In 2009, Mexican police tortured and falsely accused Ángel Amílcar Colón Quevedo, and he spent the next five years in prison until a campaign backed by Canadians helped free him. Recently Ángel visited Canada and met with some of the people who worked for his release.
Ángel had been a human rights defender in Honduras, working for the rights of the Garifuna ethnic group. When his eight-year old son became gravely ill with cancer, Ángel tried to reach the USA to find a job to pay for medical treatment. Police arrested him in northern Mexico and his nightmare began.
Ángel was blindfolded and taken to a military base where he could hear the screams of other prisoners. He was kicked, punched and racially abused. He fought for breath when a plastic bag was put over his head. He was stripped and forced to lick clean the shoes of other prisoners.
Ángel signed a false confession that he was a member of a criminal gang—a confession he retracted when brought before a judge. Ángel told the authorities about the torture. The authorities did nothing. Six months after Ángel's arrest, his son died.
Canadians stood with Ángel in his struggle for justice. Supporters in Canada of the human rights organization Amnesty International urged the Mexican authorities to free Ángel and investigate his torture. Thousands sent solidarity messages to him.
A team from Amnesty Canada visited Ángel in prison in the fall of 2014. Ángel was deeply moved to hear that so many people in Canada were working for his freedom. Finally, all the pressure paid off. Just a month after the Amnesty visit, the Mexican authorities freed Ángel.
Despite the terrible injustices he experienced, Ángel still believes strongly in forgiveness. On his recent visit to Canada, he shared this emotional message: “Forgiveness is a decision. Forgiveness frees you from carrying a burden. Evil memories will always come back to you, but if you forgive, because you have the standard to forgive, then when those evil memories come again, they will not upset you. They will always be there, but because you have set yourself free from the people who have done you wrong, they do not control you anymore.”
In 2009, Mexican police tortured and falsely accused Ángel Amílcar Colón Quevedo, and he spent the next five years in prison until a campaign backed by Canadians helped free him. Recently Ángel visited Canada and met with some of the people who worked for his release.
Ángel had been a human rights defender in Honduras, working for the rights of the Garifuna ethnic group. When his eight-year old son became gravely ill with cancer, Ángel tried to reach the USA to find a job to pay for medical treatment. Police arrested him in northern Mexico and his nightmare began.
Ángel was blindfolded and taken to a military base where he could hear the screams of other prisoners. He was kicked, punched and racially abused. He fought for breath when a plastic bag was put over his head. He was stripped and forced to lick clean the shoes of other prisoners.
Ángel signed a false confession that he was a member of a criminal gang—a confession he retracted when brought before a judge. Ángel told the authorities about the torture. The authorities did nothing. Six months after Ángel's arrest, his son died.
Canadians stood with Ángel in his struggle for justice. Supporters in Canada of the human rights organization Amnesty International urged the Mexican authorities to free Ángel and investigate his torture. Thousands sent solidarity messages to him.
A team from Amnesty Canada visited Ángel in prison in the fall of 2014. Ángel was deeply moved to hear that so many people in Canada were working for his freedom. Finally, all the pressure paid off. Just a month after the Amnesty visit, the Mexican authorities freed Ángel.
Despite the terrible injustices he experienced, Ángel still believes strongly in forgiveness. On his recent visit to Canada, he shared this emotional message: “Forgiveness is a decision. Forgiveness frees you from carrying a burden. Evil memories will always come back to you, but if you forgive, because you have the standard to forgive, then when those evil memories come again, they will not upset you. They will always be there, but because you have set yourself free from the people who have done you wrong, they do not control you anymore.”
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