Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, according to relatives of the prisoners.

Those released were several prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.

List of 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 geometrist.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.

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

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

Families were prohibited to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives reported.

Global Criticism and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa prison, situated 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 Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their staff in 2001.

This was when the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

According to rights groups, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.