Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say

Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, according to family members of the prisoners.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.

List of Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been released now.

Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Background on Government Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This was when the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president put into effect the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

According to advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.