Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years 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 detention facility, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.

Details of the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated 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 initially detained, according to the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its cyclists have increasingly earned international recognition over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

The individuals freed with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.

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

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

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

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 detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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

Context of Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

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 referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to rights groups, 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 recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.