Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, according to family members of the prisoners.

Among those freed were several well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.

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.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Released

The individuals freed 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 internal security agent were released as well.

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

Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released at this time.

Families were prohibited to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of 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 incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Context of Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

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

This was when the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per rights groups, the status and location 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 president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.