Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Say

A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, according to family members of the prisoners.

Those released were several well-known individuals, including elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Details of the Arrest

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a geometrist.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent were also freed.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases of the detainees.

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

Families were not allowed to see the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, situated 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, according to reports.

Background on Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the 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 arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

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, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.