Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Report
A group of thirteen people held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the prisoners.
Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many detainees are considered detained for political reasons.
Details of the Detention
A source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated 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, according to the source. A number have been released over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody.
The Story of an Athlete
Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games 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 cyclists have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years.
List of Released
Those released with 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 made no official comment regarding 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 prohibited to visit the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives said.
Global Criticism and Prison Conditions
The UN and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
Mai Serwa facility, located 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 incommunicado, according to reports.
Background on Government Rule
For the past thirty years, 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 closure of private publications and arrest of most of their editors and journalists in 2001.
This was when the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the head of state put into effect the proposed constitution and hold open elections.
Per advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.
Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in office and has still never faced an electoral contest.
