Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report
A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by family members of the prisoners.
Those released were a number of prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners.
Circumstances Surrounding the Detention
An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.
Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.
Profile of an Athlete
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 riders have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.
List of Released
The individuals freed with Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a geometrist.
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.
A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released now.
Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members reported.
Global Condemnation and Detention Environment
The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa prison, located 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 without contact, according to reports.
Context of Government 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 an absence of independent media since the shutdown of independent newspapers and arrest 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 president put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.
According to advocacy organizations, 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 marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.