Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Say

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, according to relatives of the detainees.

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

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A 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.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, 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

The individuals freed with Zeragaber include prominent businessmen 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 not issued any statement concerning 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 visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives reported.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.

Background on Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of independent newspapers and arrest 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 head of state implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per rights groups, the fate and whereabouts 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 marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.