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Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Say
A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, according to relatives of the detainees.
Those released were several well-known individuals, such as 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 political prisoners.
Details of the Arrest
A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested 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 roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.
Profile of an Olympian
Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.
The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.
Those Among the Freed
Those released alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, 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 of the detainees.
Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released now.
Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners during their detention, the family members reported.
International Criticism and Prison Conditions
United Nations bodies and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.
Context of Political Rule
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.
This occurred after the government detained 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 conduct democratic polls.
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 president recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.
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