Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, according to family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were several well-known individuals, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

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

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. A number have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.

List of Freed

Those released with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were also freed.

The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases.

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this could explain why they have been released at this time.

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

Global Criticism and Detention Environment

The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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 without contact, according to reports.

Background on Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their staff 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 head of state put into effect the draft constitution and hold open elections.

According to rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having 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 electoral contest.