Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Report
Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, according to relatives of the detainees.
Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.
Circumstances Surrounding the Detention
An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been freed over the years, but about 20 remained in custody.
Profile of an Athlete
Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.
The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.
Those Among the Released
Those released alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen 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.
Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.
Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.
International Criticism and Detention Environment
The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa facility, 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, according to reports.
Context of Government Control
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, 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 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.
Per rights groups, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.
Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.