South African investigative journalist Micah Reddy has been reported missing in Djibouti after contact with his family and colleagues abruptly stopped during a reporting trip, his family said on Sunday.
Reddy, Africa editor at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), arrived in Djibouti on Thursday and had remained in regular contact until Saturday, according to his brother, Niall Reddy.
“We don’t have any clear updates on his status,” Niall told Reuters.
The Committee to Protect Journalists said it was increasingly concerned after more than 24 hours passed without anyone being able to reach Reddy or his fixer, Kooki Mahmoud.
CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal said the organisation understood that their reporting was not focused on Djibouti and called on authorities to determine their whereabouts, confirm their safety and release them immediately if they were being detained.
Reddy last contacted his brother at around 11 a.m. on Saturday and was last in touch with colleagues at approximately 1 p.m., his family said.
Several hours later, messages sent to him through Signal and WhatsApp stopped being delivered, raising concern among relatives and colleagues.
Reddy had been staying at the Escale International hotel in Djibouti City and was last known to have met Mahmoud in the hotel’s lobby, according to his family. Relatives said the hotel had provided little information about what happened after the meeting.
Niall said his brother had not mentioned receiving any threats before travelling and was not investigating the Djiboutian government as part of his reporting assignment.
South African and British officials have contacted Djibouti’s government seeking information, he added, but the family has yet to receive confirmation of Reddy’s whereabouts.
Naguib Ali Taher, a senior official in the Djibouti presidency, said Reddy had not registered for media accreditation in the country.
“We need to check the tourist visa records to see if he came to Djibouti,” Taher said.
The South African government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
