Olympian and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Say

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

Those released were several well-known individuals, including 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

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

Details of the Detention

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

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been released over the years, but about 20 remained in custody.

The Story of an Athlete

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.

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

Those Among the Released

Those released with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs 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 internal security agent were released as well.

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

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

Families were prohibited to visit the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives reported.

Global Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.

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

Background on Political Rule

For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarized countries, with indefinite military conscription.

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

This was when the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement 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 office and has still never faced an election.