Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report

A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, according to relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Detention

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been released over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story 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 riders have steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.

List of 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 geometrist.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent were also freed.

The Eritrean government has made no official comment concerning 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 not allowed to see the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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 remained a one-party state with no functioning constitution. 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 staff in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

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

Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.