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

Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, according to relatives of the prisoners.

Those released were a number of prominent figures, including 69-year-old Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many detainees are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Details of the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a senior internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of 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 international recognition over the past decade.

List of Released

Those released with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a geometrist.

Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were also freed.

The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases.

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

Relatives were prohibited to visit the prisoners during their detention, the relatives said.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment 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 incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Background on Government Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention 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 called for that the president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per 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.

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