Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, according to family members of the prisoners.

Those released were several well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Detention

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

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

The Story of an Athlete

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 riders have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

List of Released

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

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released now.

Families were prohibited to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances 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 grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Context of Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of private publications and arrest of most of their staff 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 implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts 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 office and has still never faced an electoral contest.