Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, according to family members of the prisoners.

Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners.

Details of the Arrest

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

Those Among the Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs 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.

Many of them are sick and this may be the reason why they have been released at this time.

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members reported.

International Criticism and Detention Environment

The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.

Background on Government Rule

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 indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

According to advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.

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