Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

Those released were a number of well-known individuals, including elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.

Details of the Arrest

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

Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.

List of Freed

The individuals freed 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 also freed.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases.

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

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

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

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

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 without contact, sources have indicated.

Background on Government Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their staff in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president put into effect the proposed 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 marked 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.