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

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

Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

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, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim 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 engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases.

Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released at this time.

Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members said.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN 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 prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Background on Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the shutdown 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.

According to advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.