Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Say

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the prisoners.

Those released were several prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

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

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

Profile of an Olympian

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

Those Among the Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.

Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives said.

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

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

Mai Serwa facility, 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 incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Political Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the closure of independent newspapers 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 president implement 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.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.