Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Say
Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.
Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are considered political prisoners.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.
Profile of an Athlete
Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.
The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty 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
Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise 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 state security officer were also freed.
The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.
Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released now.
Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.
Global Criticism and Prison Conditions
United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa facility, located 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, sources have indicated.
Background on Government Control
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of private publications and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.
This was when the government detained 15 politicians referred to 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.
According to 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.
Now 79 years old, the leader marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.
