Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, as stated by relatives of the prisoners.

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

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.

Details of 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 high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Released

The individuals freed 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 internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released now.

Families were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives said.

International 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 detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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

Context of Government Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. 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 shutdown of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded 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, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the leader recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an electoral contest.