Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Say

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the detainees.

Those released were several prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Detention

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

Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition over the past decade.

List of Freed

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

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

The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees.

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

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.

International Criticism and Detention Environment

The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of 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.

Context of Political Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest 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 demanded that the head of state implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

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