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

A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, according to family members of the detainees.

Those released were several prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated 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 after an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced 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 cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.

List of Released

Those released with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.

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

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

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Context of Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press 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 president put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

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