Lisbon, Aug. 31, 2026 (Lusa) - Guinea-Bissau's ministry of the interior and public order on Monday denied having abducted the editor-in-chief of Radio Capital FM, Sulai Seide, and clarified the circumstances surrounding the journalist's detention, according to local media reports.
«The ministry of the interior and public order rejects (...) reports of an alleged abduction of the journalist, describing them as false and not in line with the facts,» reads a statement on the Radio TV Bantaba website.
According to the Guinea-Bissau media, the ministry stated that «the incident occurred during the vote-counting process, following a dispute between the journalist and the chair of the polling station committee regarding the validity of a vote deemed invalid».
Faced with this situation, the authorities were called to intervene, which culminated in an altercation and the journalist being taken to the 2nd Police Station in Bissau to give a statement.
During the questioning, identification badges belonging to another person were found in the journalist's possession, according to the ministry.
Sulai Seide has since been released.
When contacted by Lusa, a source from the Guinea-Bissau Union of Journalists and Media Technicians (Sinjotecs) stated that they were monitoring the situation in conjunction with the management of Capital FM.
The Guinea-Bissau Human Rights League (LGDH) today expressed «deep concern» over the «arbitrary detention» of two journalists from Capital FM, Sulai Seide and Nelson António da Silva, for allegedly reporting on the constitutional referendum.
In a statement, the Firkidja de Pubis Movement «vehemently condemned the abduction» of the two Capital FM journalists, «perpetrated by the regime's forces» in Guinea-Bissau.
According to the movement, Sulai Seidi was detained «on unfounded allegations» of having photographed the low turnout at polling stations during the constitutional referendum and of having called for a boycott of the vote.
Nelson António da Silva was also reportedly «abducted following an argument» at a polling station, where he was observing the counting of votes, the movement added.
A spokesperson for Guinea-Bissau's National Transitional Council (CNT), Alberto Pinto Pereira, stated today that citizens had voted in favour of the country's new Constitution coming into force in Sunday's referendum.
At a press conference, broadcast live by the media in Guinea-Bissau, Pinto Pereira noted that the CNT's conviction – which has been acting as parliament since the military coup on 26 November last year – is based on projections presented by the National Electoral Commission (CNE).
The CNE spokesperson, Idriça Djaló, announced on Sunday that voter turnout had exceeded 50% in the referendum on the Constitution proposed by the military, despite calls for a boycott of the vote by the opposition and civil society organisations.
The Guinea-Bissau military staged a coup d'état on 26 November, one day before the results of the parliamentary and presidential elections were due to be published; they removed the then President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, from power and pushed through a new constitution that strengthens the powers of the head of state.
The opposition regarded this as a «ceremonial coup d'état» designed to allow Sissoco Embaló to return to power through new presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled by the military for 6 December.
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