Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report

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, as stated by family members 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 severe environment and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

An unnamed source who was once detained 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.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, per the source. Some have been freed over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

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

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.

List of Released

The individuals freed with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were also freed.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed at this time.

Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members said.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Context of Government Rule

Over the last three decades, 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 no free press since the shutdown 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 head of state put into effect the draft constitution and hold open elections.

According to advocacy organizations, 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 office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.