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

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

Zeragaber competed 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 international recognition in recent years.

Those Among the Released

The individuals freed with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, 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 concerning the releases.

Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released at this time.

Families were prohibited to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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

Context of Political Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the 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 detention 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 demanded that the head of state implement the draft 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, are still unconfirmed.

Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.