Lisbon, Aug. 31, 2026 (Lusa) - The two journalists from Guinea-Bissau's Rádio Capital FM, Sulai Seide and Nelson António da Silva, who had been detained by the police, were released following intervention by various organisations, according to local media reports.
The radio station to which the two journalists belong, along with other media outlets, announced on social media – as reported by Lusa – that Sulai Seide and Nelson da Silva are now free.
The same sources note that their release was made possible thanks to the efforts of Capital FM's management and the Union of Journalists and Media Technicians of Guinea-Bissau (Sinjotecs) in their dealings with the ministry of the interior.
The two journalists spent Sunday night in custody at the 2nd Public Order Police Station in Bissau.
The management of Capital FM expressed their gratitude for the «solidarity, widespread condemnation and the steps taken» by various organisations whilst their staff were deprived of their liberty.
In a statement also shared on social media, the Firkidja de Púbis movement pointed out that Sulai Seidi was detained «on unfounded allegations» of having photographed the low turnout at the polls during the constitutional referendum and of having called for a boycott, whilst Nelson António da Silva was reportedly «abducted following an argument» at a polling station, where he was observing the vote count.
The spokesperson for Guinea-Bissau's National Electoral Commission (CNE), Idriça Djaló, announced on Sunday that voter turnout in the constitutional referendum proposed by the military had exceeded 50%; however, according to the opposition and civil society organisations – which had called for a boycott of the vote – the process resulted in a high level of abstention.
The ministry of the interior, also in a statement seen by Lusa in the local media, clarified that Sulai Seide had been taken to the police station to give a statement following a disagreement at a polling station.
«The ministry of the interior and public order rejects (...) reports alleging the journalist's abduction, classifying them as false and not corresponding to the facts,» reads the report on the Rádio TV Bantaba website.
The ministry stated that «the incident occurred during the vote-counting process, following an argument between the journalist and the chair of the polling station committee, concerning the validity of a vote deemed invalid».
CNE spokesperson Idriça Djaló announced on Sunday that voter turnout had exceeded 50% in the constitutional referendum proposed by the military – despite calls for a boycott of the vote from 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 introduced a new constitution that strengthens the powers of the head of state.
The opposition viewed 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.
*** The Lusa news agency's bureau in Guinea-Bissau has been suspended since August 2025 following the government's expulsion of representatives from the Portuguese media. Coverage is being provided remotely ***
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