Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Report

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, according to relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

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 tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Freed

The individuals freed with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a geometrist.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.

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

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

Global Criticism and Prison Conditions

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

Mai Serwa facility, located 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.

Context of Government Rule

Over the last three decades, 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 shutdown of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president put into effect the draft constitution and hold open elections.

According to advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.