Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Report

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

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

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been released over the years, but about 20 remained in custody.

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 steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.

List of Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber include 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 state security officer were released as well.

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

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

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

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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 Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to 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 leader marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.