Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released 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 prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees.

Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be detained for political reasons.

Circumstances Surrounding 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.

Approximately thirty individuals were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

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

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

The individuals freed with Zeragaber include prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, 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 concerning the releases of the detainees.

A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been freed now.

Families were not allowed to see the prisoners during their detention, the family members reported.

Global Condemnation and Detention Environment

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 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 include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held without contact, according to reports.

Background on Government Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is among the world's most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.

There has been no free press since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their editors and journalists 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 head of state implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls.

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, are still unconfirmed.

Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.