Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Say

Thirteen individuals detained for over 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 69-year-old Olympic athlete 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.

Details of the Arrest

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

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained international recognition 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 engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were released as well.

The Eritrean government has made no official comment concerning the releases.

Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members reported.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, 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, sources have indicated.

Background on Government Control

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 militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

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

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

According to rights groups, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in power and has still never faced an election.