A 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker is facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court found him guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad over a Facebook comment.
Anojan Sivarasa was initially sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of 3 million Saudi riyals by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court. On September 17, Saudi prosecutors appealed for him to be prosecuted under Sharia law instead of cybercrime legislation, and the appellate court increased his sentence to death.
His mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, made an emotional plea for his life: "I plead for mercy for the wrongs committed by my son. Please forgive him and send him back to us."
The case began after an online dispute following an incident during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. Anojan posted a response insulting the Prophet Muhammad, which he quickly deleted along with an apology video. However, a screenshot was sent to his employer and Saudi officials, leading to his arrest in July.
His family has had no updates on his condition since September 28. The Sri Lankan government has instructed them to refrain from making further statements while diplomatic efforts take place. A four-member Sri Lankan legal delegation is travelling to Saudi Arabia this week to meet Anojan's local defence lawyers.
The case has drawn cross-religious support, with senior Buddhist and Hindu leaders handing a memorandum to the Presidential Secretariat calling for urgent state intervention. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has assured the family the government would spare no effort to obtain a general pardon.
Saudi authorities have not published an official execution timeline. Human rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about severe sentences for online speech in Saudi Arabia.
