Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Report

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

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government.

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

Profile of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was part of 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.

List of Released

Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases of the detainees.

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

Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, 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 without contact, according to reports.

Context of Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.

This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president put into effect the draft constitution and hold open elections.

According to rights groups, 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 president marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an election.