Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

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

Those released were several well-known individuals, including elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

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

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its cyclists have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

Those Among the Freed

The individuals freed with 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 also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been freed at this time.

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

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the closure of independent newspapers and detention of most of their staff in 2001.

This was when 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 hold open elections.

According to 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.

Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.