Maydaneh Abdallah Okieh

Maydaneh Abdallah Okieh is one of the mainstays of the first independent radio station in Djibouti’s recent history, La Voix de Djibouti. He is reporter, interviewer and editor of its website and the government of President Ismail Omar Guelleh has had him in its sights on many occasions. He was jailed three times between March last year and March this year, held each time in Gabode central prison. He was accused of posting images of police violence on his Facebook page and of covering an opposition demonstration, both of which enshrine the right of the public to be informed but which annoyed the Djibouti dictatorship. Despite being ill-treated in prison, he was refused access to a doctor several times. For the time being he is free, but who knows what tomorrow may bring.