Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say
Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, as stated by relatives of the prisoners.
Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered political prisoners.
Details of the Arrest
A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.
Profile of an Olympian
Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.
The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.
Those Among the Released
Those released 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 not issued any statement concerning the releases.
Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released now.
Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members reported.
International Condemnation and Detention Environment
The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa prison, situated 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.
Context of Government Rule
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation 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 shutdown of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.
This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president put into effect the proposed constitution and hold open elections.
According to advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.
Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.
