Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Facing Charges, Family Members Report

A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by family members of the prisoners.

Among those freed were several well-known individuals, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment 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 after an assassination attempt on a high-ranking state security official in the government.

Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.

Profile of an Olympian

Zeragaber competed 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, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its cyclists have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

Those Among the Freed

Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

A half-dozen high-level police officials and an internal security agent were released as well.

The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning 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 detention, the family members said.

Global Condemnation and Detention Environment

United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa facility, 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 incommunicado, according to reports.

Background on Political Control

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a one-party state 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 occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president put into effect the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls.

Per advocacy organizations, the fate and whereabouts of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists allegedly having links to the G-15, remain unknown.

Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an election.