Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, including elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.

Details of the Detention

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. Some have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition 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 engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.

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 released now.

Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members said.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa facility, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has expanded 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 functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.