Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, 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 mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.

List of Released

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

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

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

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

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

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, situated 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 Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

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

This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

According to rights groups, the status and location 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 yet to participate in an election.