Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, as stated by relatives of the prisoners.

Those released were a number of well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.

Details of the Arrest

A source who was once detained 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 over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

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 tradition of cycling and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.

Those Among the Released

The individuals freed with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a geometrist.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were also freed.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases.

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 detention, the family members said.

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations 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 city, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 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 remained a single-party nation 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 was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

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 president marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an electoral contest.