Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Say

A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, as stated by relatives of the prisoners.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.

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

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement regarding the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are sick and this may be the reason why they have been freed now.

Families were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members said.

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing 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 include 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 independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.

This was when the government detained 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the draft 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.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.