đź”— Share this article Olympian and Other Eritreans Released After 18 Years Without Trial, Family Members Say Zeragaber Gebrehiwot competed at age 24 when he participated in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees. Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners. Details of the Arrest A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government. Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen remained in custody. Profile of an Olympian Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia. The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years. Those Among the Freed 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. Six senior police officers and an state security officer were released as well. The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees. A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been freed now. Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members reported. International Criticism and Prison Conditions United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances. Mai Serwa prison, located 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 Control Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, 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 president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls. 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, remain unknown. Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.
Zeragaber Gebrehiwot competed at age 24 when he participated in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without trial in Eritrea have been released from a infamous military prison, as stated by relatives of the detainees. Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, including elderly Olympian cyclist and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot. They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are believed to be political prisoners. Details of the Arrest A source who was previously held in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government. Approximately thirty individuals were initially detained, according to the source. A number have been freed in the intervening period, but roughly two dozen remained in custody. Profile of an Olympian Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia. The mountainous country, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, has a strong cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned global acclaim in recent years. Those Among the Freed 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. Six senior police officers and an state security officer were released as well. The Eritrean government has made no official comment regarding the releases of the detainees. A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this could explain why they have been freed now. Relatives were not allowed to visit the prisoners during their incarceration, the family members reported. International Criticism and Prison Conditions United Nations bodies and rights organizations have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of many thousands of people in deplorable circumstances. Mai Serwa prison, located 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 Control Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no active constitutional framework. It is one of the most militarized countries, 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 president implement the draft constitution and conduct democratic polls. 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, remain unknown. Now 79 years old, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has yet to participate in an election.