The Congress of African Journalists has joined the Committee to Protect Journalists in demanding that Djibouti immediately establish the whereabouts of South African investigative journalist Micah Reddy and his fixer, Kooki Mahmoud, after the pair became unreachable for more than 24 hours.
In a statement issued on 20 September 2026, CAJ said it was “increasingly alarmed” that Reddy, Africa coordinator of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, and Mahmoud had lost contact while in the Horn of Africa state. The organization aligned itself with CPJ Africa director Angela Quintal, who said families and colleagues “urgently need answers” and that Djiboutian authorities must credibly confirm the pair’s safety and release them promptly if they are detained.
CAJ stressed that Reddy’s assignment was not focused on Djibouti and that there was therefore “no justification for any detention.” It called on authorities to locate the two men without delay, confirm they are safe, and, if they are in custody, free them unconditionally so they can continue their work. The group said families and colleagues must be informed immediately.
Reddy arrived in Djibouti on Thursday from Johannesburg, via Addis Ababa, and was staying at the Escale International Hotel for what colleagues said was intended as a brief visit linked to a longer-term investigation elsewhere. He last made contact around midday Saturday before going silent, according to colleagues and press-freedom groups. ICIJ and others have said he was not in the country to report on Djibouti itself.
CAJ president Michael Adeboboye said African journalism “cannot function when colleagues disappear after checking into a hotel.” He said the organization had activated its Continental Safety Protocol and a new global alliance, the International Connection of Journalists, describing the case as “a continental emergency.” CAJ said it was in direct contact with CPJ Africa and other partners and would “not be silent.”
Reddy, a former amaBhungane reporter, is a Johannesburg-based investigator known for work on governance and corruption. Press-freedom organizations have urged Djibouti to treat the disappearance as urgent and to provide a transparent account of the two men’s status. As of Sunday, neither Reddy nor Mahmoud had been publicly confirmed safe.
