Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Say

Thirteen individuals held 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 detainees.

Among those freed were several prominent figures, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.

List of Released

Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise 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 internal security agent were also freed.

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

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

Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives reported.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Background on Government Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their staff in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state 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, remain unknown.

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