Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Say

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the prisoners.

Those released were several prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

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

Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released with Zeragaber include 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 also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases of the detainees.

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.

Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members said.

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Context of Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

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

This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

Per rights groups, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.