Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Report

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the prisoners.

Among those freed were several well-known individuals, including elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody 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.

The Story 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, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.

Those Among the 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 also freed.

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

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been released at this time.

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

Global Criticism and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Context of Government Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

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

This was when the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

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 electoral contest.