🔗 Share this article Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Report Zeragaber Gebrehiwot was 24 when he participated in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, according to family members of the prisoners. Those released were several well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons. Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government. Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned. The Story of an Athlete Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia. The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained international recognition in recent years. Those Among the Freed Those released alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor. Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well. The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases of the detainees. A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been released now. Families were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives reported. Global Criticism and Detention Environment United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions. Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded 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 single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration. There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001. This was when the government detained 15 politicians referred to 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 status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown. Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an election.
Zeragaber Gebrehiwot was 24 when he participated in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Thirteen individuals detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, according to family members of the prisoners. Those released were several well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered detained for political reasons. Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 after an assassination attempt on a senior state security official in the government. Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned. The Story of an Athlete Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia. The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong tradition of cycling and its cyclists have steadily gained international recognition in recent years. Those Among the Freed Those released alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor. Six senior police officers and an internal security agent were released as well. The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases of the detainees. A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been released now. Families were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the relatives reported. Global Criticism and Detention Environment United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions. Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded 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 single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration. There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of independent newspapers and arrest of most of their staff in 2001. This was when the government detained 15 politicians referred to 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 status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, remain unknown. Aged 79, the leader marked 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an election.