Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades 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 freed from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the prisoners.
Those released were several well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.
Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. Some have been freed over the years, but about 20 remained in custody.
Profile of an Olympian
Zeragaber competed 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 cyclists have increasingly earned international recognition over the past decade.
List of Freed
The individuals freed 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 regarding the releases of the detainees.
A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.
Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members reported.
Global Condemnation and Detention Environment
The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
Mai Serwa facility, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.
Context of Political Rule
Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of private publications and arrest 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 called for that the head of state implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections.
Per advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.
Now 79 years old, the leader marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an electoral contest.