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

Thirteen individuals held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody 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 freed in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders 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 geometrist.

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

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 could explain why they have been freed now.

Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, 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 grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Background on Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This was when 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 proposed constitution and hold open elections.

According to rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

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