Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Say

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, according to relatives of the prisoners.

Those released were several prominent figures, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered political prisoners.

Details of the Detention

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

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

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

List of Freed

Those released with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent were also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases of the detainees.

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

Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives said.

Global Criticism and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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

Background on Government Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per rights groups, 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 marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an election.