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

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

Those released were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be 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 assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.

List of Released

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 state security officer were also freed.

The Eritrean government has made no official comment concerning the releases.

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

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.

Global Criticism and Detention Environment

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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

Background on Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained 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 staff in 2001.

This was when the government detained 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state implement the draft constitution and hold open elections.

Per rights groups, the fate and whereabouts 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 president recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.