SC stays Kerala HC order on Rehna Fathima’s ban on addressing media

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a stay on the order issued by Kerala High Court prohibiting activist Rehna Fathima from addressing the media or taking to social media. The bench with justice Rohinton Nariman issued the stay on the petition filed by Fathima.

The apex court also served notice to the state government and BJP leader Radhakrishna Menon.

The activist in her petition had stated that the HC order violates the constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression.

The Kerala HC had ruled that until the trial of the case pertaining to hurting religious sentiments filed against her was over, she should refrain from making, disseminating, commenting or sharing any content through print, electronic or visual media. The petition against her had been filed alleging a cookery video she uploaded on social media containing remarks that hurt religious statements. The HC, in November 2020, while issuing a bail in this case had imposed the condition of restricting speech.

Though the ban on free speech has been stayed by SC, all other bail conditions imposed by the HC on Fathima still exists.