Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

Thirteen individuals held for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Detention

A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Freed

The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a geometrist.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been freed now.

Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members reported.

International Criticism and Detention Environment

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

Mai Serwa facility, situated about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Background on Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the shutdown 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 called for that the president put into effect 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.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.