Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Say

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, according to family members of the prisoners.

Among those freed were several prominent figures, such as elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Details of the Detention

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

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

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

List of Released

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

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.

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

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

International 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 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 include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.

Background on Political Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained 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 private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists 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 president implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

Per advocacy organizations, 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 still never faced an electoral contest.