Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Say
A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, according to relatives of the detainees.
Those released were several well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners.
Details of the Arrest
An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.
Profile of an Athlete
Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.
The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.
List of Freed
The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber comprise 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 not issued any statement concerning the releases of the detainees.
Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released now.
Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members reported.
Global Condemnation and Detention Environment
United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.
Background on Political Rule
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.
This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president put into effect 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.
Now 79 years old, the president marked 32 years in power and has still never faced an election.