Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were several well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.

List of Released

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

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 now.

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, 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 incommunicado, according to reports.

Background on Government Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the shutdown of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This was when the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to advocacy organizations, the status and location 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 election.