Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, according to relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Details of the Detention

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

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, has a strong cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.

Those Among the Freed

The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees.

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

Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives reported.

International Criticism and Detention Environment

The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.

Context of Political Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the closure of independent newspapers and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to 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.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an electoral contest.