JUST IN: SA journalist Micah Reddy believed to be held in Djibouti

South African investigative journalist Micah Reddy is believed to be in custody in Djibouti after he disappeared while on assignment over the weekend.

According to a report on Monday morning, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) believes authorities detained Reddy after he travelled to the country without media accreditation. Local journalist Mohamed Willo Ismael, known as Kooki Mahmoud, is also reportedly being held.

Reddy, the ICIJ’s Africa coordinator, arrived in Djibouti on Thursday for a reporting assignment.

A senior Djiboutian official, Naguib Ali Taher, reportedly said that Reddy had not registered for media accreditation before entering the country.

Taher said officials would check tourist visa records to establish how Reddy entered Djibouti but did not confirm whether authorities had detained him.

Reddy’s brother, Niall Reddy, said he last spoke to him at about 11:00 on Saturday.

Colleagues remained in contact with Reddy until about 13:00, when he planned to meet Mahmoud at the Escale International Hotel in Djibouti City.

Reddy sent a message saying everything was fine and that Mahmoud was arriving. His colleagues did not hear from him again.

Several hours later, messages stopped reaching his phone.

ICIJ calls for answers

The ICIJ has urged the Djiboutian government to confirm where the two journalists are and whether they are safe.

The organisation said Reddy was not investigating Djibouti or its government. He travelled there as part of a longer-term investigation, but the ICIJ has withheld details because of concerns about his safety.

Reddy holds South African and British citizenship, and the organisation alerted authorities in both countries after losing contact with him.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has confirmed that it knows about the case.

Niall said the department had assured the family that it was engaging with Djiboutian authorities.

Press freedom groups raise concern

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on authorities to establish the whereabouts of Reddy and Mahmoud and release them if they are being detained.

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has also called for urgent clarity and Reddy’s safe return.

The case follows another recent incident involving a journalist in southern Africa. Amnesty International demanded an investigation after Lesotho journalist Kananelo Boloetse was allegedly abducted, assaulted and threatened over his journalism and human rights work.

Who is Micah Reddy?

Reddy is an experienced investigative journalist who previously worked at the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism.

He also served as national coordinator for media freedom and diversity at the Right2Know Campaign and previously worked as managing editor of the Yemen Times in Sana’a.

Reddy was due to return from his assignment on Monday.

His family, colleagues and press freedom organisations are now waiting for Djiboutian authorities to officially confirm his whereabouts.