Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Report

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by family members of the prisoners.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.

Details of the Detention

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released with Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement regarding the releases.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members reported.

International Criticism and Detention Environment

The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Context of Political Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.