Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Say

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.

Those Among the 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 state security officer were released as well.

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

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this could explain why they have been released at this time.

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives reported.

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, located 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 remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists 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 head of state 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, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an election.