Case filed against 11 people for allegedly disrupting public movement during a peaceful gathering against the arrest of journalist Rezaz M Sheeba Siddique
NEW DELHI – The Kochi Police have registered a case against 11 individuals, including well-known journalist Siddique Kappan, for taking part in a solidarity meeting held near Vanchi Square, Kerala High Court Junction, on Saturday evening. The meeting was organised to protest the arrest of journalist Rezaz M Sheeba Siddique, who was recently detained from a hotel in Nagpur, Maharashtra and later booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
According to police, the gathering was organised by various human rights groups and saw participation from members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and the Welfare Party of India. Officials alleged that the organisers failed to obtain mandatory police permission for using loudspeakers, and the meeting obstructed the movement of pedestrians and vehicles.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Sibi Tom from the Ernakulam Central Sub-Division said: “The organisers of the meeting did not have any valid permission to use loudspeakers and they obstructed traffic and pedestrians by holding the meeting without permission. That is why action was taken.”
A senior officer from the Ernakulam Central Police Station explained that while the organisers had obtained consent from the Kochi Corporation to conduct the event, they had not sought the required police clearance for the use of sound amplifiers.
Police officials stated that when they reached the site, most participants dispersed peacefully. However, two individuals, identified as Dr Hari and Shaneer, refused to leave and were briefly detained before being released on station bail. The police also claimed that one of the protesters pushed a sub-inspector present at the scene, and a case of obstruction of duty has been registered against them.
The solidarity event was aimed at opposing the detention of Rezaz M. Sheeba Siddique. Sources in the Nagpur Police said that he was booked under UAPA for allegedly posting critical comments on social media regarding Operation Sindoor, which authorities described as an “unlawful and provocative activity.”
Speaking about the police action, a rights activist present at the scene said, “We only gathered peacefully to support a fellow journalist. Targeting people for standing up for press freedom shows the growing pressure on Muslims who speak out.”
Another participant remarked, “Journalists like Kappan have already faced years of harassment. Instead of silencing voices, authorities should protect them.”
Journalists and activists have condemned the case, saying it reflects increasing hostility towards Muslim journalists. Several have called for the charges to be dropped and for authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly.
