On Friday, the Kerala High Court reportedly dismissed the anticipatory bail of ‘activist’ Rehana Fathima after she was booked for posting offensive social media video of minor children drawing on her naked body. As per reports, she has now decided to move to the apex court.
Kerala High Court dismisses an anticipatory bail plea of activist Rehana Fathima, in a case registered against her for posting on social media a video of her minor children painting on her body. pic.twitter.com/FvlqpiYywl
— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020
As per a report in Mathrubhumi, Fathima has informed that she is hoping for a ‘favourable judgment’ from the Supreme court. Meanwhile, she has also asked the state government to clarify its position on the said issue. The activist claimed that court verdicts are influenced by public opinion and that the phenomenon must change. “I hope to get a favourable judgment from the court. Law cannot always be favourable to a section of people. It is the same for everyone,” she concluded. Rehana Fathima emphasised that everyone has the responsibility of earning their own rights.
Reportedly, she has accused the State government of trying to save its face, amidst the raising debate surrounding the morality behind using minor children for painting on a naked body. Fathima alleged that the Kerala government led by Pinarayi Vijayan is ready to ‘sacrifice anyone and everyone’ and that it was a repetition of the government’s past track record. As per the reports, the government has asked the Kerala High Court to dismisses her anticipatory bail. It argued that people don’t have the rights to engage in ‘whatsoever activity’ with people, including their children, under the pretext of ‘art’. The Kerala government has also asked the court to take cognizance of the activist’s past actions.
‘Body painting’ gets Rehana Fathima in jail
Earlier, the Thiruvalla police of Pathanamthitta district in Kerala had booked Rehana Fathima, under the Juvenile Justice Act and section 67 of the Information Technology Act (Electronically transmitting sexually explicit content) for non-bailable offences. On June 19, she took to her youtube channel to post a 2:00 minute video where she was seen lying on the bed wearing only a pair of red shorts, while her children painted on her naked torso. She also uploaded the same on her Facebook page with hashtag #BodyArtPolitics. According to Rehana, the video was made to reiterate that women need to be open about sex and their bodies in a society where sex and nudity are taboo.
