Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Say

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, according to family members of the detainees.

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

They had been incarcerated 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 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

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

Profile of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber include 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 not issued any statement regarding the releases of the detainees.

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Context of Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This was when the government detained 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

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

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