Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report

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

Those released were a number of prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Released

Those released with Zeragaber include 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 internal security agent were also freed.

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

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this could explain why they have been released now.

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

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, 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 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 Government Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been no free press since the closure of independent newspapers and detention 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 put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

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 leader marked 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.