Facebook Account of Kerala Activist Suspended Following Police Request

Facebook Account of Kerala Activist Suspended Following Police Request
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The Facebook account of Baburaj Bhagavathy, a Kerala-based rights activist and author known for his work documenting Islamophobia, has been suspended in India, Maktoob Media reported. A notice from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, indicated that the suspension was the result of a “legal request from Kerala Law Enforcement.”

According to a report from Maktoob Media, Bhagavathy is a co-founder of the Islamophobia Research Collective and a co-author of the book Islamophobia Padanangal. He is also co-editor of the Kerala Islamophobia Report 2024 and has been a vocal critic of anti-Muslim narratives and state repression. His now-inaccessible Facebook page featured commentaries on communalism, casteism, and state violence.

The suspension has prompted protests from fellow activists. Thoufeekh Mampad, state president of Solidarity Youth Movement Kerala, described Bhagavathy as a powerful voice against Islamophobia and condemned the government’s action. Ambika, Bhagavathy’s partner and an editor at Maruvakku magazine, also condemned the move, calling it an attempt to silence dissenting voices. The incident is being highlighted as a “serious instance of state action against dissenting voices.”