Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-Dawan Media Group has denounced the arrest of its CEO, Alinur Salad by the Somali Police forces, accusing him of spreading fake news and called for his immediate release without conditions.

“We strongly condemn the arrest of Dawan Media, Alinur Salad in the strongest terms possible. the Police action clearly contradicts freedom of speech and the independence of the media in Somalia, we therefore, demand Immediate and Unconditional Release”, Dawan said in a statement.

The statement described the arrest as unfortunate and against the legal proceedings, because the Police made defamation by disseminating his photo through the social media.

Alinur’s arrest attracted the attention of the public in general, in particular, politicians, Members of the Federal Parliament, media professionals and scholars and describing the Somali Government’s action as surprise and against the freedom of speech.

Somali Journalists Syndicate(SJS), Somali Media Association,Independent Media Council of Somalia(IMCoS), National Union of Somali Journalists, Federation of Somali Journalists(FESOJ) Media Council of Somalia and other unions condemned his arrest while characterizing it as an attack on journalistic freedom.