Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Say
Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.
Among those freed were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.
Circumstances Surrounding the Detention
An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.
Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen 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 tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.
List of Freed
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 internal security agent were also freed.
The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases of the detainees.
A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.
Families were not allowed to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives reported.
International Condemnation and Detention Environment
The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
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.
Background on Government Control
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of private publications and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.
This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.
Per 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.
Now 79 years old, the president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.
