Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Say
A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.
Among those freed were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners.
Circumstances Surrounding the Detention
A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.
Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.
Profile of an Olympian
Zeragaber raced 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, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.
Those Among the Released
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 surveyor.
A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were also freed.
The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees.
A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been released at this time.
Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives reported.
Global Criticism and Detention Environment
The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.
Context of Political Control
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their staff in 2001.
This was when the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.
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 president marked 32 years in power and has still never faced an election.