Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Family Members Report
Thirteen individuals detained for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, as stated by family members of the prisoners.
Those released were a number of well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered political prisoners.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.
Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.
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 achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years.
List of Freed
The individuals freed alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.
Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well.
The Eritrean government has not issued any statement 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 not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members said.
International Criticism and Detention Environment
The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.
Mai Serwa prison, 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 incommunicado, according to reports.
Background on Government Rule
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarized countries, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.
There has been no free press since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.
This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president put into effect the proposed constitution and hold open elections.
According to advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown.
Aged 79, the president marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.
