Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Family Members Say

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.

Among those freed were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered political prisoners.

Details of the Detention

An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. A number 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 nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Released

The individuals freed with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs 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 state security officer were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases of the detainees.

Many of them are sick and this could explain why they have been released now.

Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members reported.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

Mai Serwa prison, located 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 without contact, according to reports.

Background on Political Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and detention of most of their staff in 2001.

This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians referred to 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 rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.