Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Say

A group of thirteen people held 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.

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

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are considered political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

Profile of an Athlete

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Released

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 state security officer were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released at this time.

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their detention, the family members reported.

Global Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Background on Political Control

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

There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists 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 implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

Per advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.