World
24‑Year‑Old Sri Lankan Migrant Faces Death in Saudi Arabia Over Facebook Comment
By Today News Hours Editorial Desk
A 24‑year‑old Sri Lankan migrant worker, Anojan Sivarasa, has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court found him guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad for a comment he made on Facebook. The case has drawn widespread concern in Sri Lanka, prompting petitions, diplomatic efforts and a meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The Sri Lankan government has instructed the family to refrain from further statements while diplomatic channels engage Saudi authorities. Saudi officials have not announced an execution date, and the family has received no updates since 28 September. Saudi Arabia has a history of carrying out executions without warning families or foreign embassies, informing relatives only after the sentence has been carried out.
The incident began after a dispute on social media following an event during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. In late June, footage of a young Muslim man kicking a dog circulated, sparking online religious arguments. A user posted derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity, prompting Anojan to reply in Tamil with insulting remarks about the Prophet Muhammad. He later deleted the comment and posted an apology video, but a screenshot was forwarded to his employer and Saudi officials, leading to his arrest in July. His personal devices were seized and his social media accounts deleted by Saudi authorities.
Anojan’s brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, told BBC Sinhala that the company where Anojan worked notified Saudi authorities, who registered a case against him. Anojan was initially sentenced by the Al‑Ahsa Criminal Court to five years in prison and a fine of 3 million Saudi riyals (about $0.8 million). An appeal to reduce the sentence was rejected. On 17 September, Saudi prosecutors filed an appeal to prosecute Anojan under Sharia law instead of cybercrime legislation; the appellate court granted the request, increasing the sentence to death.
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is taking all available steps to assist Anojan. A four‑member legal delegation is travelling to Saudi Arabia to meet his local defence lawyers. Senior Buddhist leaders and Hindu religious leaders have also submitted a memorandum to the Presidential Secretariat calling for urgent state intervention.
Communication between Anojan and his family has ceased; Hamsidan reported that his brother had not called for two days as of 28 September. The Sri Lankan embassy has been asked to look into the matter, but no response has been received.
Human rights organisations have highlighted concerns about severe sentences for online speech in Saudi Arabia. In July 2023, retired teacher Mohammed Al Ghamdi was sentenced to death over social media comments; his sentence was later overturned and he was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Rights groups note that low‑wage migrant workers, of whom there are more than 10 million in Saudi Arabia, face particular vulnerabilities due to language barriers and lack of proper legal representation. Executions for blasphemy are relatively rare compared with those for drug offences or murder in Saudi courts.