Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say
A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the detainees.
Those released were several well-known individuals, such as 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 inmates are considered political prisoners.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, per the source. A number have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.
The Story of an Olympian
Zeragaber competed 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 tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.
Those Among the Freed
Those released alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.
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 freed now.
Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.
Global Condemnation and Detention Environment
United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of 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 without contact, sources have indicated.
Context of Political Rule
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.
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 arrested 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 hold open elections.
Per 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.
Now 79 years old, the president marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.
