Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Say

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

Among those freed were several prominent figures, such as elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Details of the Arrest

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.

List of Freed

Those released alongside 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 internal security agent were also freed.

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

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

Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.

Global Criticism and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, 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 incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

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