Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment 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 indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been released over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.

List of Freed

Those released with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were also freed.

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

Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members reported.

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, located 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.

Background on Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, 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 president implement the draft 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.

Now 79 years old, the leader marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.