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

A group of thirteen people detained for over 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 a number of prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Detention

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to 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 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 over the past decade.

Those Among the Released

The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.

A half-dozen high-level police officials 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 in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.

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

Global Criticism and Detention Environment

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

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Background on Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation 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 shutdown of private publications 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 demanded that the president implement the draft constitution and hold open elections.

Per rights groups, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of 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.