Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report
A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by family members of the prisoners.
Among those freed were several prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be detained for political reasons.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.
The Story of an Olympian
Zeragaber raced 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 tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.
List of Released
The individuals freed with Zeragaber include prominent businessmen 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 released as well.
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 may be the reason why they have been freed now.
Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.
Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions
The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.
Background on Government Control
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the 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 was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.
According to advocacy organizations, 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 leader marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.
