A group of thirteen people detained for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a notorious military prison, according to family members of the prisoners.
Among those freed were a number of prominent figures, including elderly Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.
They had been held at Mai Serwa detention center, renowned for its severe environment and where many inmates are considered political prisoners.
Details of the Arrest
An unnamed source who was previously held in Mai Serwa indicated the prisoners were arrested in October 2007 following an attempted assassination on a high-ranking state security official in the government.
Around 30 people were initially detained, per the source. Some have been freed over the years, but roughly two dozen stayed imprisoned.
Profile of an Athlete
Zeragaber raced in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was a region within Ethiopia.
The nation in the Horn of Africa, which achieved sovereignty from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted cycling culture and its riders have increasingly earned international recognition in recent years.
Those Among the Freed
Those released alongside Zeragaber comprise prominent businessmen Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, 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 regarding the releases of the detainees.
Many of them are in poor health and this could explain why they have been released now.
Families were prohibited to see the prisoners during their detention, the family members said.
International Criticism and Prison Conditions
The UN and rights organizations have consistently criticized the Eritrean government of serious abuses, including torture, enforced disappearances and the detention of tens of thousands of people in deplorable circumstances.
Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital, Asmara, has grown over the years to incorporate 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, according to reports.
Background on Government Rule
For the past thirty years, Eritrea has remained a one-party state with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with indefinite military conscription.
There has been no free press since the shutdown of independent newspapers and detention of most of their editors and journalists 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.
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.
Aged 79, the president recently passed 32 years in power and has still never faced an electoral contest.
