Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say

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

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

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Released

Those released alongside Zeragaber include 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 internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases.

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.

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

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, 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 grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Context of Government Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.

This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, remain unknown.

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