Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Report

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

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are considered political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals 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 raced in the Moscow Olympics 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 cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Freed

The individuals freed with Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen 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 not issued any statement regarding the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.

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

Global Criticism and Detention Environment

The UN 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 deplorable circumstances.

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

Context of Political Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state 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 detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians referred to 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.

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.

Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an election.