Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by family members of the detainees.

Among those freed 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 considered detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.

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

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released with Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen 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 remained silent concerning the releases.

Many of them are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.

Families were not allowed to see the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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

Context of Political Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be 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 an absence of independent media since the shutdown of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This was when the government arrested 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 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.

Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.