South African investigative journalist Micah Reddy has been released after being detained by authorities in Djibouti over the weekend.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) confirmed Reddy’s release in a statement on Tuesday, September 22, saying he was safe and expected to return to South Africa.
“Micah Reddy has been released from custody in Djibouti. He is safe and will soon reunite with his family in South Africa,” the ICIJ said.
Reddy, who serves as the ICIJ’s Africa coordinator, was detained on Saturday, September 19, alongside local journalist Mohamed Ismael. The ICIJ had earlier said the two journalists were detained by Djiboutian authorities over alleged failure to obtain the required media accreditation.
Both Reddy and Ismael have since been released.
According to the ICIJ, Reddy was visiting Djibouti as part of work connected to a long-term investigation and was not reporting on the country at the time of his detention.
His colleagues initially raised the alarm after losing contact with him on Saturday. ICIJ Managing Editor Fergus Shiel said Reddy had been staying at the Escale International Hotel and was expected to spend three days in the country.
Shiel said Reddy had met with a local fixer, Kooki Mahmoud, and was scheduled to meet him in the hotel lobby at about 1 p.m. on Saturday.
“He wasn’t there to report on anything to do with Djibouti,” Shiel said, adding that Reddy was in the country hoping to obtain information related to a long-term investigation.
Reddy later sent a message indicating that everything was fine and that Mahmoud was on his way, but his colleagues subsequently lost contact with him.
“It’s very, very unusual for somebody to disappear from the lobby of an international hotel,” Shiel said.
The ICIJ subsequently said it was “gravely concerned” about Reddy’s safety before Djiboutian authorities confirmed that he had been detained.
Following his release, South African media reported that Reddy’s family confirmed he was unharmed and on his way home.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also welcomed his release while criticising the circumstances surrounding his detention.
“We are greatly relieved. Four days in secretive intelligence custody is unacceptable treatment of an investigative journalist,” the CPJ said.
