Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Report
Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by family members of the detainees.
Those released were a number of well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
An unnamed 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 originally arrested, per the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, 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 nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.
Those Among the Freed
The individuals freed alongside 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 internal security agent were also freed.
The Eritrean government has not issued any statement regarding the releases.
A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been freed at this time.
Families were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members reported.
Global Criticism and Prison Conditions
The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
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 incommunicado, sources have indicated.
Background on Political Rule
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff 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 implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.
Per rights groups, the fate and whereabouts 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 power and has still never faced an electoral contest.
