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

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Detention

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been released over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Olympian

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

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

List of Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen 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 regarding the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released now.

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

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president put into effect 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, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the president marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.