Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, according to family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were several 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 severe environment and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.

Details of the Detention

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, per the source. Some have been freed over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced 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 cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.

Those Among the Freed

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

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent 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 at this time.

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members said.

International Criticism and Detention Environment

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

Mai Serwa prison, 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 incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Government Rule

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 compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

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

This occurred after 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 proposed constitution and hold open elections.

Per advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an electoral contest.