Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say
A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military detention facility, according to family members of the detainees.
Among those freed were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.
Details of the Detention
An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government.
Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.
The Story of an Olympian
Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.
The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.
Those Among the Freed
Those released alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen 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 remained silent concerning the releases of the detainees.
Many of them are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.
Families were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives reported.
International Criticism and Detention Environment
The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, 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 among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers 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 president put into effect 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 power and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.
