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

Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

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

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

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced 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, has a strong cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned international recognition over the past decade.

Those Among the Released

Those released with Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were released as well.

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

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

Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.

International Criticism and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Context of Political Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

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 arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per 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 president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.