Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Say

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, according to family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, including elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior 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 remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, 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.

Those Among the Freed

The individuals freed with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement regarding the releases of the detainees.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their detention, the family members said.

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Background on Government Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. 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 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 head of state implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to rights groups, 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 president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.