The Free Speech Union has questioned a coroner’s order that prevents the identification of a woman killed in Kawerau late last month.

Executive director Jillaine Heather said hundreds of people farewelled the woman at a funeral this week.

“Kawerau already knows who she is. The only people this order keeps her name from are the rest of New Zealand, and they are the least likely to know anything about how she died.”

The grandmother died after an apparent assault at her home over the weekend of October 24 and 25. No one has been charged and police appealed for public help on October 28

Police asked the coroner for an interim order on Tuesday, nine days after her body was found and after Stuff said it intended to name her.

Coroner Bruce Hesketh granted it that evening on “interests of justice” grounds. It runs until at least November 9.

According to Stuff, police told the coroner that naming her “will lead to the deceased … being identified in the small community” and that there was a “real risk of speculation” that may interfere with their investigation while some potential witnesses have yet to be identified and located.

“It isn’t clear what changed, apart from a media inquiry,” said Heather.

“Protecting evidence and witnesses can justify a short order. But the police appeal was aimed mainly at people in Kawerau, and they are the most likely to know her name already. Speculation is happening there, whether or not her name is published.

“The coroner rightly said the starting point is freedom of speech, open justice and the media’s right to report.

“Open justice is the rule and suppression is the exception. Unless police can show the order is doing something useful, it should be lifted now.”