🔗 Share this article Olympian and Several Eritreans Freed After Nearly Two Decades Without Trial, Relatives Say Zeragaber Gebrehiwot was 24 when he took part in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the prisoners. Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be detained for political reasons. Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government. Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody. The Story of an Athlete Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia. The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years. List of Freed Those released with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs 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 state security officer 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 at this time. Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members said. Global Condemnation and Detention Environment The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances. Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated. 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 an absence of independent media since the shutdown of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001. This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president put into effect the proposed 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. Aged 79, the leader recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an electoral contest.
Zeragaber Gebrehiwot was 24 when he took part in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. A group of thirteen people detained for over 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, as stated by relatives of the prisoners. Those released were a number of well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and entrepreneur Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are believed to be detained for political reasons. Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a senior state security official in the government. Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. A number have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen remained in custody. The Story of an Athlete Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia. The mountainous country, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years. List of Freed Those released with Zeragaber include notable entrepreneurs 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 state security officer 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 at this time. Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their detention, the family members said. Global Condemnation and Detention Environment The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing ill-treatment, forced disappearance and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances. Mai Serwa prison, situated about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has expanded over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated. 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 an absence of independent media since the shutdown of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001. This occurred after the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president put into effect the proposed 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. Aged 79, the leader recently passed 32 years in office and has still never faced an electoral contest.