Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report
A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees.
Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.
Details of the Arrest
A 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. A number have been freed over the years, but about 20 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 increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.
Those Among the Freed
Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise 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.
Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been released at this time.
Families were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives said.
International Criticism and Detention Environment
United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of 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 include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.
Background on Political Rule
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists 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 put into effect the proposed 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, remain unknown.
Aged 79, the leader recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.
