Arabic version: المحكمة ترفض أمر حظر هويات عائلة الإرهابي المزعوم

A court has denied a suppression order that would have protected the identities of family members of Naveed Akram, the alleged Bondi terrorist. Judge Hugh Donnelly ruled against the request for a 40-year suppression order during a hearing at the Downing Centre local court, stating that the order did not meet the exceptional circumstances threshold. This decision ended an interim suppression order that had previously been granted in early March.

According to The Guardian, the judge noted that the information about Akram’s family had already been widely circulated on social media following the December 14, 2025 attack, including an image of Akram’s driver’s license. The judge emphasized that Akram’s mother, brother, and sister were not expected to be called as witnesses in the case.

Naveed Akram, 24, appeared in court via video link from Goulburn supermax prison. He and his father, Sajid Akram, are accused of opening fire at a Hanukah festival at Bondi Beach, resulting in the deaths of 15 people. Sajid Akram was shot and killed by police at the scene. Naveed Akram faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act.

During the hearing, Akram’s lawyers argued that the names of his family members should be suppressed due to fears for their safety, citing death threats received after the attack. However, lawyers representing media organizations contended that there was no evidence of an imminent risk and highlighted that the family’s home address had already been leaked online. The matter is scheduled to return to court next Wednesday.