🔗 Share this article Olympic Athlete and Several Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Facing Charges, Relatives Report Zeragaber Gebrehiwot was 24 when he took part in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Thirteen individuals held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the prisoners. Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered political prisoners. Circumstances Surrounding the Detention 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 state security official 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. The Story of an Olympian Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games 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 cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years. List of Released Those released alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs 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 internal security agent were also freed. The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases. A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been released at this time. Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their detention, the family members reported. International Condemnation and Prison Conditions United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions. 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 Political Rule Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained 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 no free press since the closure of private publications and arrest 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 demanded that the head of state implement the draft constitution and hold open elections. According to 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. Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.
Zeragaber Gebrehiwot was 24 when he took part in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Thirteen individuals held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a notorious military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the prisoners. Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered political prisoners. Circumstances Surrounding the Detention 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 state security official 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. The Story of an Olympian Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games 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 cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years. List of Released Those released alongside Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs 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 internal security agent were also freed. The Eritrean government has remained silent regarding the releases. A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been released at this time. Families were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their detention, the family members reported. International Condemnation and Prison Conditions United Nations bodies and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions. 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 Political Rule Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained 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 no free press since the closure of private publications and arrest 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 demanded that the head of state implement the draft constitution and hold open elections. According to 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. Now 79 years old, the leader recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.