Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Report

A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, according to relatives of the detainees.

Those released were a number of prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

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

List of Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well.

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 released now.

Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Detention Environment

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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

Context of Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the closure of independent newspapers 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 president put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per rights groups, the fate and whereabouts 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.