Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by family members of the prisoners.

Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling 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 technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.

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

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement regarding the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives said.

Global Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, forced disappearance and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff 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 put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, remain unknown.

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