Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Say

A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.

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

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Details of the Detention

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after 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 roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.

Those Among the Released

The individuals freed with Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases.

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

Families were not allowed to see the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Context of 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 militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state implement the proposed 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, are still unconfirmed.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an election.