Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Report

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, according to family members of the detainees.

Those released were several prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment 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 following an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

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

Those Among the Released

Those released with 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 also freed.

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

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

Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives reported.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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

Background on Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the shutdown of private publications and detention of most of their staff 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 put into effect the draft constitution and hold open elections.

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.

Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.