Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Report
Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, as stated by family members of the prisoners.
Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been released over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.
The Story of an Olympian
Zeragaber competed 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, has a strong cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.
Those Among the Released
The individuals freed with Zeragaber include prominent businessmen 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 internal security agent were also freed.
The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.
Many of them are sick and this may be the reason why they have been freed now.
Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.
International Condemnation and Prison Conditions
The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
Mai Serwa facility, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.
Background on Political Control
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.
This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.
According to rights groups, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.
Aged 79, the president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.