Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Released After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report
Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, according to family members of the detainees.
Among those freed were several well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.
Details of the Arrest
An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.
Profile of an Olympian
Zeragaber raced 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 tradition of cycling and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.
List of Released
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.
A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were also freed.
The Eritrean government has remained silent 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.
Families were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members said.
International Criticism and Detention Environment
The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, forced disappearance and the detention 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 include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.
Background on Government Control
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been no free press since the closure of private publications and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.
This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state implement the draft constitution and hold open elections.
Per advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of 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.
