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

Thirteen individuals held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, according to relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, 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 considered political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.

Those Among the Released

Those released with Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a geometrist.

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

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

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, 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 without contact, according to reports.

Context of Government Rule

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 compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists 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 head of state implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.