Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

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

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Details of the Detention

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.

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

The Story of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

List of Freed

Those released with Zeragaber include 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 remained silent regarding the releases.

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

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

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, located 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.

Context of Government Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.

This was when the government detained 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 status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.