Freedom at long last! Two journalists, former Nation Media Group’s, Muthoki Mumo and former Mail & Guardian editor Angela Quintal have today been released by Tanzanian authorities who had yesterday evening arrested them and detained them in unclear circumstances.
Their release comes after the Committee to Protect Journalists called on Tanzanian authorities to immediately release its staffers‚ Sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo and Africa Programme coordinator Angela Quintal.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed that the two journalists were back in their hotel.
SA journalist, Angela Quintal & colleague are back in their hotel. SA’s High Commissioner Mr Thami Mseleku is meeting with them to discuss last night’s events. He will then engage Tanzanian authorities. @DIRCO_ZA spokesperson, Mr Ndivhuwo Mabaya spoke to Ms Quintal this morning.
— DIRCO South Africa (@DIRCO_ZA) November 8, 2018
“South Africa’s High Commissioner Mr Thami Mseleku is meeting with them to discuss last night’s events. He will then engage Tanzanian authorities. Dirco spokesperson, Mr Ndivhuwo Mabaya, spoke to Ms Quintal this morning,” the SA Foreign ministry said in a tweet on Thursday,” DIRCO South Africa tweeted.
On Wednesday evening, officers who identified themselves as working with the Tanzanian immigration authority detained Quintal and Mumo in their hotel room and searched the pair’s belongings and would not return their passports when asked.
Quintal and Mumo were then escorted from the hotel and taken to an unknown location.
They were in the country on a reporting mission for CPJ when Quintal posted on Facebook informing the public on her arrest and that of her colleague.
“SOS we are being taken away for interrogation in Dar. We don’t know why. Taken Away from Southern Sun Hotel,” she said on Facebook.
The tweet by @angelaquintal was not sent by her. We have confirmation that she is still detained. This shows someone is using her account. #Free_Quintal @PresidencyZA @DIRCO_ZA @News24 @joestolley @LindiweSisuluSA @CyrilRamaphosa @pressfreedom pic.twitter.com/PGc48ClCKz
— Genevieve Quintal (@GenMQ) November 7, 2018
Yesterday, her family raised concerns about a tweet sent from Quintal’s account that showed that someone else was using her account to lie that they had been released.
The Mail & Guardian said that according to Mabaya, there are a number of issues that the South African High Commissioner will want to be addressed by Tanzanian authorities. Among the issues is why Quintal and Mumo were detained, and why the authorities still held their passports.
The Twitter accounts of the tow journalists have since been suspended.
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