Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Say

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, according to relatives of the detainees.

Those released were a number of prominent figures, including elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held 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 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 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 Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

List of Freed

The individuals freed with 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 made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been released now.

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members reported.

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Context of Political Rule

For the past thirty years, 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 an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per rights groups, 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 leader recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.