Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, according to family members of the prisoners.

Those released were several well-known individuals, 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 political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

Profile of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have increasingly earned international recognition over the past decade.

Those Among the Released

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

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.

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

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

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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

Context of Political Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.

According to rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.