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

Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, according to family members of the prisoners.

Among those freed were several well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

List of Freed

The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.

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

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement 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 throughout their incarceration, the family members reported.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa prison, 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 incommunicado, according to reports.

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 one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the draft constitution and hold open elections.

Per 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.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an election.