Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Report
Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, according to family members of the detainees.
Those released were a number of prominent figures, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners.
Details of the Arrest
An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.
Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.
Profile of an Olympian
Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games 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 cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.
List of Freed
The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.
A half-dozen high-level police officials 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 could explain why they have been freed at this time.
Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.
International Criticism and Detention Environment
United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa prison, situated 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, according to reports.
Context of Government Control
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of private publications and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.
This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state put into effect the proposed 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.
Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.
