Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games 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 cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.

Those Among the Released

Those released with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs 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 made no official comment concerning the releases.

Many of them are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members said.

Global Criticism and Detention Environment

The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.

Context of Government Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and detention of most of their staff in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

Now 79 years old, the leader marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an election.