Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Say

A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by family members of the detainees.

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

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are considered political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed 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 a region within Ethiopia.

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.

List of Freed

Those released with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent were also freed.

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

Many of them are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.

Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives said.

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Political Rule

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

There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

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

Aged 79, the president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.