Overview
- Micah Reddy was taken into Djiboutian custody at about 1pm on Saturday, September 19 and was held for several days before authorities released and deported him back to South Africa.
- Reddy’s local fixer, Kooki Mahmoud, was detained alongside him and has since been released without charge.
- Reddy’s family said he is unharmed, that he was not reporting on Djibouti or its government when detained, and they thanked South African and UK officials and legal representatives for their help in securing his return.
- Djiboutian officials told press groups the detention was linked to an alleged failure to obtain required media accreditation, and the Committee to Protect Journalists called the reported four days in what it described as secretive intelligence custody unacceptable and demanded transparency.
- It remains unclear which story Reddy was investigating in Djibouti, and press freedom groups say the case highlights how vague accreditation rules and opaque detention procedures can increase risks for foreign investigative reporters and may prompt calls for greater oversight.