Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Say
Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.
Among those freed were several well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered political prisoners.
Details of the Arrest
A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been freed over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.
The Story of an Athlete
Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics 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 cyclists have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.
List of Freed
The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.
A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent were released as well.
The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases.
A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.
Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members reported.
International Criticism and Prison Conditions
The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa facility, situated about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.
Background on Political Control
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their staff in 2001.
This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.
Per rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.
Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.
