Story perspectives

Djibouti deports journalist Micah Reddy over accreditation issue

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 5:07 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

South African journalist Micah Reddy was deported from Djibouti and returned unharmed to Johannesburg.
Djibouti authorities detained Reddy on Saturday.
They said he lacked required media accreditation.
Interior Minister Omar Abdi said Reddy avoided accreditation, prompting CPJ to demand clarification.
Reddy’s Djiboutian fixer Kooki Mahmoud was released without charge after the detention.

History

Historical Context

In May 2003 the U.S-led Coalition Provisional Authority under Paul Bremer issued Order 2, dissolving roughly 400,000 Iraqi soldiers and, together with de-Ba’athification, imposed sweeping civil restrictions. Those controls set a precedent for later accreditation disputes, such as Djibouti’s interior minister Omar Abdi expelling South African journalist Micah Reddy in 2024 for lacking permission.

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Story summary

South African journalist Micah Reddy was deported from Djibouti and returned unharmed to Johannesburg.
Djibouti authorities detained Reddy on Saturday.
They said he lacked required media accreditation.
Interior Minister Omar Abdi said Reddy avoided accreditation, prompting CPJ to demand clarification.
Reddy’s Djiboutian fixer Kooki Mahmoud was released without charge after the detention.

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