Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Say

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, according to family members of the prisoners.

Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.

Details of the Detention

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

Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition over the past decade.

Those Among the Released

Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.

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

Many of them are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been freed now.

Families were not allowed 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 torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Background on Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the shutdown of private publications 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 president put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.