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

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Arrest

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

Zeragaber competed 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 riders have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.

List of Freed

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

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases of the detainees.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick 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.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Background on Government Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This was when the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president put into effect the draft constitution and hold open elections.

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

Aged 79, the president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.