Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Report

A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, according to family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

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 internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.

List of Freed

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

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

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

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

Global Criticism and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Context of Government Rule

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

There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their staff in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the proposed 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.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.