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

A group of thirteen people held for more than 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 a number of well-known individuals, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking 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 roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced 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 cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.

Those Among the Released

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

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.

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

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

Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Background on Government Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarized countries, 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 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 president implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

Per 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 power and has still never faced an electoral contest.