Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say

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.

Those released were a number of well-known individuals, including elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber competed 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 increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Released

Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs 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 may be the reason why they have been freed now.

Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.

Background on Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of private publications and detention of most of their staff 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 hold open elections.

Per advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

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