Sri Lanka Seeks Clemency For Worker Sentenced To Death In Saudi Arabia Over Facebook Comment

Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa, 24, has been sentenced to death by a Saudi appellate court after being convicted of blasphemy against Islam and Prophet Muhammad. He was arrested in July following a social media dispute linked to a Hindu pilgrimage incident in Sri Lanka. After initially responding to derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity with an insulting comment about Prophet Muhammad in Tamil, Anojan deleted the post and issued a public apology.

However, screenshots of his comment were allegedly forwarded to his Saudi employer, who reported him to authorities. An Al-Ahsa Criminal Court initially sentenced him to five years in prison and a fine of 3 million Saudi riyals. Following a prosecutor's request, an appellate court reconsidered the case under Sharia law on September 17 and imposed the death penalty.

The Sri Lankan government has initiated diplomatic efforts for clemency. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met Anojan's family on September 21 and committed to pursuing a pardon. A four-member Sri Lankan legal team is travelling to Saudi Arabia to consult with local lawyers. No execution date has been announced.