Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Say
Thirteen individuals held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the detainees.
Those released were several prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.
Details of the Detention
A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.
Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.
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, has a strong tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.
List of Released
The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.
A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent were released as well.
The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases.
A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this could explain why they have been freed now.
Families were not allowed to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members said.
International Criticism and Detention Environment
The UN and human rights groups have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, sources have indicated.
Context of Political Control
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.
This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the head of state implement the draft constitution and hold open elections.
According to rights groups, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.
Now 79 years old, the leader marked 32 years in power and has still never faced an election.
