Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Report
Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, according to family members of the detainees.
Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be detained for political reasons.
Circumstances Surrounding the Detention
An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.
Profile of an Athlete
Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.
The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.
List of Released
Those released with Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.
A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were also freed.
The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees.
A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this could explain why they have been released at this time.
Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members reported.
Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions
United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many 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 incommunicado, according to reports.
Context of Government Rule
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. 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 independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.
This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.
According to 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.
Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.