Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Say

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

Among those freed were several prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Arrest

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.

List of Released

Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were also freed.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement regarding the releases.

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

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives said.

Global Criticism and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention 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 without contact, sources have indicated.

Context of Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

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

This was when the government detained 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 conduct democratic polls.

Per 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.

Aged 79, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an election.