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

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

Among those freed were several prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Detention

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

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed over the years, but about 20 stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Athlete

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained international recognition in recent years.

Those Among the Released

Those released with Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a geometrist.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were released as well.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been released now.

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

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.

Background on Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's 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 detained 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the draft constitution and hold open elections.

According to rights groups, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

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