Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Report
A group of thirteen people held 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.
Among those freed were several well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners.
Circumstances Surrounding the Detention
A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.
The Story of an Athlete
Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.
The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.
Those Among the Freed
Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise 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 state security officer were released as well.
The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases.
Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.
Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members reported.
Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions
The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.
Background on Government Rule
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and detention 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 called for that the head of state put into effect 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, are still unconfirmed.
Now 79 years old, the president marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.