Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report
Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, according to relatives of the prisoners.
Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman 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, per the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.
The Story of an Olympian
Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.
The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.
Those Among the Freed
The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs 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 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 freed at this time.
Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.
Global Criticism and Prison Conditions
The UN and human rights groups 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 include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.
Background on Political Control
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. 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 detention of most of their staff in 2001.
This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.
Per 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 leader recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.
