🔗 Share this article Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Report Zeragaber Gebrehiwot was 24 when he participated in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Thirteen individuals held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees. Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered political prisoners. Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government. Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned. Profile of an Athlete 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, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition over the past decade. List of Released The individuals freed with 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 state security officer were released as well. The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases. Many of them are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been released now. Families were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives said. International Criticism and Prison Conditions The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions. 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 without contact, according to reports. Context of Political Control For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained 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 closure of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001. This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections. Per 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 president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.
Zeragaber Gebrehiwot was 24 when he participated in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Thirteen individuals held for over 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military prison, as stated by family members of the detainees. Those released were a number of prominent figures, such as elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its harsh conditions and where many inmates are considered political prisoners. Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 after an attempted assassination on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government. Around 30 people were originally arrested, per the source. Some have been freed in the intervening period, but about 20 stayed imprisoned. Profile of an Athlete 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, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition over the past decade. List of Released The individuals freed with 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 state security officer were released as well. The Eritrean government has remained silent concerning the releases. Many of them are in poor health and this may be the reason why they have been released now. Families were not allowed to see the prisoners throughout their incarceration, the relatives said. International Criticism and Prison Conditions The UN and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in inhumane conditions. 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 without contact, according to reports. Context of Political Control For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained 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 closure of private publications and detention of most of their editors and journalists in 2001. This was when the government detained 15 politicians known as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they demanded that the president implement the proposed constitution and hold open elections. Per 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 president marked 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.