Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Report
A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, according to family members of the detainees.
Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, including elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.
Details of the Detention
A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.
Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.
Profile of an Olympian
Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.
The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture 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 geometrist.
A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent were released as well.
The Eritrean government has not issued any statement regarding the releases of the detainees.
A significant number of the former detainees 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 said.
Global Condemnation and Detention Environment
The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing 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, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.
Context of Political Control
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and arrest of most of their staff 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 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, are still unconfirmed.
Aged 79, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an election.
