Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Say

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Those released were several well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise 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 state security officer were also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed at this time.

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

International Criticism and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Background on Political Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state 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 president put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per advocacy organizations, the status and location 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 marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.