South African journalist Micah Reddy and his local fixer, Kooki Mahmoud, have reportedly gone missing in Djibouti, prompting an urgent call from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) for authorities to establish their whereabouts.
The CPJ on Sunday said it was “deeply concerned” by reports that Reddy and Mahmoud could no longer be reached.
According to information received by the press freedom organisation, Reddy had travelled to Djibouti with Mahmoud to report on local developments.
Contacts subsequently lost communication with the pair in recent days.
The CPJ has called on Djiboutian authorities to immediately clarify where the two are and confirm that they are safe.
“We are deeply concerned by reports that Micah Reddy and Kooki Mahmoud are missing in Djibouti,” the organisation says.
“Authorities must immediately clarify their whereabouts, confirm their well-being, and ensure their safety. Journalists must be able to work without fear of disappearance or obstruction.”
The organisation has also urged authorities to launch a prompt and transparent investigation into the pair’s status and provide information to their families and employers.
Who is Micah Reddy?
Reddy is a Johannesburg-based investigative journalist and Africa coordinator at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
According to the ICIJ, he previously worked as an investigative journalist at the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism, which he joined in 2017.
He was also previously the national coordinator for media freedom and diversity at the Right2Know Campaign.
Reddy has worked on investigations covering governance, corruption and financial affairs across Africa.
What is known about the disappearance?
The available information does not establish what happened to Reddy and Mahmoud or where they are currently located.
CPJ said the two had been in Djibouti for reporting purposes and that communication with them had been lost.
The organisation has not publicly stated that the pair had been arrested or abducted.
It has instead called for authorities to establish their status and ensure their safety.
The development comes as Djibouti is dealing with an influx of people fleeing escalating hostilities in Yemen.
According to information cited by CPJ, more than 2 350 people had arrived in Djibouti by 12 September, with at least half of them children.
The arrivals were reported along the country’s northern coast near Obock.
The number of people arriving was expected to increase as fighting intensified.
The CPJ says it is continuing to monitor the situation.
At this stage, there has been no confirmed public explanation for the loss of contact with Reddy and Mahmoud. – IOL News
