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

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by family members of the prisoners.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been released over the years, but about 20 remained in custody.

Profile of an Athlete

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, has a strong cycling culture and its cyclists have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

List of Released

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

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.

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

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

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, 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, according to reports.

Background on Political Rule

Over the last three decades, 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 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 head of state implement the draft constitution and hold open elections.

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, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.