A 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker, Anojan Sivarasa, has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia over a Facebook comment deemed insulting to Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
Sivarasa was initially sentenced to five years in prison and fined three million Saudi riyals, approximately $800,000, by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court in July under Saudi Arabia’s cybercrime law.
However, the case took a dramatic turn after Saudi prosecutors appealed the ruling and requested that the case be considered under Sharia law. On September 17, an appellate court increased the sentence to death after finding Sivarasa guilty of insulting the Prophet.
Reports said Sivarasa had made the Facebook comment during an online argument over religion. He later deleted the comment and posted an apology video, saying he had made the remark in anger and expressing regret.
The comment was reportedly captured in a screenshot and shared with his employer and Saudi authorities, leading to his arrest in July. His family said they have not heard from him since September 28 and are seeking government intervention to prevent the execution.
Human rights organisation Amnesty International has called on Saudi authorities to overturn the death sentence, describing the case as a serious violation of freedom of expression. It also raised concerns about Sivarasa’s access to legal representation during the initial stages of his case.
Sri Lankan authorities are now pursuing diplomatic and legal efforts on his behalf. A legal team is expected to work with lawyers in Saudi Arabia as the family seeks to challenge the sentence and secure his release. The case has also attracted calls from religious and civil society groups for clemency.
