Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report
Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.
Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.
Details of the Arrest
A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.
Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.
Profile of an Athlete
Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics 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 riders have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.
Those Among the Released
The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a geometrist.
Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well.
The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees.
A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.
Families were not allowed to see the prisoners during their detention, the family members reported.
Global Criticism and Prison Conditions
The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.
Background on Government Rule
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, 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 occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state put into effect the draft constitution and hold open elections.
According to rights groups, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.
Aged 79, the leader recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.
