Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Say

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

Among those freed were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Detention

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

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

Profile of an Athlete

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Released

Those released with Zeragaber include 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 released as well.

The Eritrean government has made no official comment concerning the releases.

Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives said.

Global Criticism and Detention Environment

The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Context of Political Control

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been an absence of independent media 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 referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

According to 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.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.