Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, according to family members of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, including 69-year-old 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 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 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which gained its independence 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 Released

The individuals freed with Zeragaber include 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 released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Detention Environment

The UN 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 prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Context of Political Control

Over the last three decades, 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 no free press since the closure of independent newspapers and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per advocacy organizations, 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 leader marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an electoral contest.