Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report

A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by family members of the prisoners.

Those released were several well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are considered political prisoners.

Details of the Arrest

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

The Story 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 gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released with Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were also freed.

The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.

Global Criticism and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, situated 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.

Background on Political Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is one of the 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 editors and journalists in 2001.

This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, remain unknown.

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