Olympian and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Say
A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the detainees.
Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered political prisoners.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
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 originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.
The Story of an Athlete
Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.
The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.
List of 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 internal security agent were released as well.
The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases of the detainees.
A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been freed now.
Families were not allowed to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives reported.
International Condemnation and Detention Environment
The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, 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 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 functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been an absence of independent media since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their staff in 2001.
This was when the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.
According to advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.
Aged 79, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.
