Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Report
Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.
Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be detained for political reasons.
Circumstances Surrounding the Detention
A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed over the years, but about 20 remained in custody.
The Story of an Olympian
Zeragaber competed 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 over the past decade.
List of Released
The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor.
Six senior police officers and an state security officer were also freed.
The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases.
Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed at this time.
Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.
International Condemnation and Prison Conditions
The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.
Context of Political Control
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their staff in 2001.
This was when the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president put into effect the draft constitution and hold open elections.
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.
Aged 79, the president marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.
