Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Report

Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, according to family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Olympian

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

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

Those Among the Released

Those released with 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 internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.

Many of them are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.

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

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Background on Political Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest 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 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, are still unconfirmed.

Now 79 years old, the president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.