Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Report
Thirteen individuals held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.
Those released were a number of prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
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 high-ranking state security official in the government.
Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.
Profile of an Athlete
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, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition over the past decade.
List of Released
Those released alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen 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 also freed.
The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases of the detainees.
A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.
Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives reported.
Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions
The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, forced disappearance and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.
Background on Government Control
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of private publications and arrest of most of their staff 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 head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and hold open elections.
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.
Aged 79, the president marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.