A man accused of carrying out a deadly shooting in Bondi Beach has asked a court to stop the media from publishing details about his family, citing concerns for their safety.
The suspect, Naveed Akram, 24, is facing 59 criminal charges, including 15 counts of murder, related to a shooting that took place on 14 December during a Jewish festival. The case is being heard in Sydney, Australia.
During a hearing on Monday at the Downing Centre Local Court, Akram’s lawyer asked the court to issue a non-publication order that would prevent the media from reporting the names, addresses, workplaces, and schools of his immediate family members, including his mother, brother, and sister.
Akram did not attend the hearing in person.
The request was reviewed by Magistrate Greg Grogin, who granted a temporary suppression order, noting the intense global attention surrounding the case. However, he also pointed out that the name of Akram’s mother had already been widely reported in the media.
“Hasn’t the horse already bolted on that?” the magistrate said during the hearing.
A lawyer representing News Corp Australia, which owns several major media outlets including Sky News Australia, told the court the company may challenge the suppression order. The issue is expected to return to court next week.
After the shooting, Akram’s mother spoke publicly to defend her son. Meanwhile, his father, Sajid Akram, was shot and killed during a confrontation with police at the scene of the attack.
Akram himself was seriously injured during the incident and has not yet entered a formal plea in court. When he appeared in court last month for the first time, he only responded with a single word — “yeah” — when asked if he understood the discussion about extending suppression orders.
Prosecutors allege that the attackers were inspired by the extremist group Islamic State and acted alone, without being part of a larger network.
Authorities say the attack is Australia’s worst mass shooting since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
