Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Report
A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.
Among those freed were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered 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 assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.
Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.
The Story of an Olympian
Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics 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 tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained international recognition over the past decade.
List of Released
The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a geometrist.
Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.
The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases.
A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been released at this time.
Families were prohibited to see the prisoners during their detention, the family members reported.
Global Condemnation and Detention Environment
The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa facility, located 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 Control
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 compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.
This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the draft 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, remain unknown.
Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.