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

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

Those released were a number of prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been freed over the years, but about 20 remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics 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 riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Freed

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

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent 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 sick and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, 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 active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

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

This was when the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

According to 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 leader recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.