Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, as stated by family members of the prisoners.

Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be 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 attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.

List of Freed

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

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases.

Many of them are sick and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.

Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members reported.

Global Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the detention of many 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 without contact, according to reports.

Background on Government Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

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 detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state implement the proposed 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, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.