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

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

Among those freed were several well-known individuals, including elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but about 20 remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.

Those Among the Freed

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

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases.

Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Context of Government Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation 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 shutdown of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.

This was when 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.

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, are still unconfirmed.

Now 79 years old, the president marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an election.