Sentence on appeal changed to death penalty

Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa is facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia over a Facebook comment he later deleted. The 24-year-old had been convicted of insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, prompting diplomatic efforts in Sri Lanka and deepening concerns from his family, which says it has received no new information about him since September 28.

According to the case file, the process began after a religious dispute on social media linked to an incident during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. During the exchange, Sivarasa posted an insulting reply in Tamil, then deleted it shortly afterward and published an apology video. Despite that, a screenshot of the post was sent to his employer and Saudi authorities, and Sivarasa was arrested in July.

What was the original sentence, and what changed?

The Al-Ahsa Criminal Court initially sentenced Sivarasa to five years in prison and a 3 million Saudi riyal fine. According to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, an appeal seeking to reduce the punishment was rejected.

The case took a new turn on Sept. 17. Saudi prosecutors asked for the case to be handled under sharia provisions rather than cybercrime law, and the appeals court accepted the request, increasing the sentence to death. Saudi authorities have not issued an official statement on the execution timeline.

Sri Lankan government and religious groups step in

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said all available channels were being used to help Sivarasa. His family met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sept. 21, and the government said it would continue diplomatic efforts to secure a general pardon.

Not only political figures, but also religious leaders from different faiths have called for urgent intervention. Buddhist and Hindu representatives submitted a memorandum to the presidential secretariat urging the state to act quickly on the case.

Latest on the legal defense

This week, a four-member Sri Lankan legal team is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia to meet with local defense lawyers. While the family has been asked not to make further public comments, relatives say all contact with Sivarasa has been cut off.

  • The family says it has received no update since Sept. 28.
  • Prisoners on death row are generally denied personal phone access in detention.

Rights groups warn about online speech penalties

Human rights groups have long warned about the harsh punishments handed down in Saudi Arabia for online expression. In another 2023 case raised by the United Nations, retired teacher Mohammed Al Ghamdi was sentenced to death over social media posts, before the ruling was later overturned and reduced to 30 years in prison.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 10 million foreign workers are in Saudi Arabia. Rights advocates say low-paid migrants are especially vulnerable in the judicial process because of language barriers and limited legal representation.