Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were several well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are considered political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

Profile of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

Those Among the Freed

The individuals freed with Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were also freed.

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

Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, 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, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Context of Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to rights groups, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.