A 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia over a Facebook post deemed blasphemous, prompting diplomatic intervention from Sri Lanka and raising fresh concerns about the consequences of online speech in the kingdom.
How a Deleted Facebook Comment Led to a Death Sentence
Anojan Sivarasa, a Sri Lankan national employed in Saudi Arabia, was arrested in July after Saudi authorities were alerted to a social media comment he had made. The incident began during heightened religious tensions on social media in Sri Lanka, sparked by a video showing a Muslim man kicking a dog during a Hindu pilgrimage. Another user reportedly insulted a Hindu deity in the ensuing exchange.
Sivarasa responded in Tamil with a comment insulting Prophet Muhammad. Realising the gravity of his post, he quickly deleted it and uploaded a video apologising. However, screenshots of the deleted post were reportedly sent to his employer in Saudi Arabia, who then informed Saudi authorities. His phones and electronic devices were seized, and his social media accounts were removed by Saudi officials.
Court Upgrades Sentence from Prison to Death
Initially, the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court sentenced Sivarasa to five years in prison and a fine of three million Saudi riyals (around $800,000). His legal team appealed, hoping for a lighter punishment. Instead, Saudi prosecutors appealed for a harsher outcome. On September 17, prosecutors requested that the case be heard under Sharia law rather than Saudi Arabia's cybercrime law. The appellate court agreed and upgraded the punishment to the death penalty.
Saudi authorities have not announced when or if the sentence will be carried out. His brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, explained how the case reached Saudi authorities: "People in Saudi Arabia knew nothing about this matter. It was individuals in Sri Lanka who sent emails to the company where my brother worked. I do not even wish to mention who those people are."
Family Pleads for Mercy Amid Fears for His Condition
Sivarasa's family has pleaded for mercy. His mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, made an emotional appeal: "I plead for mercy for the wrongs committed by my son. Please forgive him and send him back to us."
The family says they have not heard from him since September 28, adding to fears about his condition. His brother earlier said: "My brother hasn't called for two days. We informed the embassy and asked officials to look into the matter and update us. They said they would check. We are still waiting, as we have not yet received a response." In Saudi Arabia, prisoners facing execution often lose direct access to phones, with communication tightly controlled by prison authorities.
Sri Lanka Steps In with Diplomatic and Legal Efforts
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met Sivarasa's family and promised diplomatic efforts to seek clemency. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed authorities are pursuing every available diplomatic option. A four-member legal delegation from Sri Lanka has travelled to Saudi Arabia to work alongside local lawyers handling the case. One member of the delegation, President's Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma, said: "There are two law firms in Saudi Arabia handling Anojan's case. We are going there to meet the lawyers from these two firms, discuss the case and plan what can be done next."
Religious leaders from both the Buddhist and Hindu communities have submitted a joint memorandum urging the Sri Lankan government to intensify efforts to save him. Human rights organisations have long criticised Saudi Arabia's harsh punishments for online speech. Although executions for blasphemy are uncommon compared to murder or drug-related offences, activists say the country's laws can still expose people to severe penalties over social media activity. In 2023, retired Saudi teacher Mohammed Al Ghamdi was also sentenced to death over anonymous social media posts before his sentence was later reduced to 30 years in prison after international attention.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 10 million migrant workers live in Saudi Arabia. Rights groups argue that foreign workers, especially low-income migrants, often face additional challenges, including language barriers and limited access to legal representation. For now, Sivarasa's fate remains uncertain as his family, lawyers and the Sri Lankan government continue pushing for mercy.
