Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, according to relatives of the prisoners.

Those released were several well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons.

Details of the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

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

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the 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 internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement regarding the releases.

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.

Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives said.

International Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

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.

Background on Government Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the 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 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 implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.