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

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated 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 Arrest

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after 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 roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned 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 geometrist.

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

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases of the detainees.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this may be the reason why they have been freed at this time.

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

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, forced disappearance and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Background on Government Rule

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 indefinite military conscription.

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

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, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.