🔗 Share this article Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Say Zeragaber Gebrehiwot competed at age 24 when he took part in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees. Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners. Circumstances Surrounding the Detention An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government. Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned. Profile of an Olympian Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia. The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years. Those Among the Released Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor. A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were released as well. The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases. A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been released now. Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members said. Global Criticism and Detention Environment United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances. Mai Serwa prison, situated 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 Government Rule Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. 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 private publications and arrest of most of their staff in 2001. This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls. Per 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 president recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.
Zeragaber Gebrehiwot competed at age 24 when he took part in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees. Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been incarcerated at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners. Circumstances Surrounding the Detention An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a senior internal security officer in the government. Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, per the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned. Profile of an Olympian Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia. The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim in recent years. Those Among the Released Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an technical professional, and Matthews, a surveyor. A half-dozen high-level police officials and an state security officer were released as well. The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases. A significant number of the former detainees are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been released now. Relatives were prohibited to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the family members said. Global Criticism and Detention Environment United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the imprisonment of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances. Mai Serwa prison, situated 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 Government Rule Over the last three decades, Eritrea has continued to be a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. 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 private publications and arrest of most of their staff in 2001. This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the proposed constitution and conduct democratic polls. Per 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 president recently passed 32 years in office and has yet to participate in an electoral contest.