Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.

Those released were several well-known individuals, including elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Details of the Detention

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

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

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, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were released as well.

The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released now.

Families were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives said.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of 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 incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state 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 closure of independent newspapers and detention 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 called for that the president put into effect the draft constitution and hold open elections.

According to advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.