Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say

Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.

Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed 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.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics 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 cyclists have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.

List of Released

The individuals freed with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.

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

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 freed at this time.

Families were prohibited to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.

Global Criticism and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Context of Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained 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 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 draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per 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 president recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.