Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Say

Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

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

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games 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 global acclaim in recent years.

Those Among the 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 geometrist.

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 sick and this could explain why they have been released now.

Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their detention, the family members said.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, enforced disappearances 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 grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Political 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 an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 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 draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.