Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa faced execution in Saudi Arabia after he made a post on Facebook. Human rights organizations have called for the country to spare his life – and now, there’s been an update.
Anojan Sivarasa, 27, faced execution after a court found him guilty of blasphemy over a comment he made about the Prophet Muhammad during an online argument.
Now, after weeks of concern and diplomatic efforts, Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has overturned his death sentence.
The horrifying case began in June, when a video showing a man allegedly kicking a dog that had accompanied Hindu pilgrims sparked heated discussions online.
During the argument, people exchanged comments about religious figures, with Anojan responding in Tamil with a post about the Prophet Muhammad.
He later deleted the comment and shared a video apologizing for what he had written. However, it didn’t go down well in Saudi Arabia. Screenshots of the original post had reportedly already been shared with his employer, who alerted the authorities.
In July, authorities arrested Anojan Sivarasa. His electronic devices were seized, and initially, he was sentenced to five years in prison and fined three million Saudi riyals.
Major update after man sentenced to death over deleted Facebook post
However, prosecutors appealed, seeking to have the case handled under Sharia law. On September 17, an appeals court increased his punishment to the death penalty. The decision prompted widespread concern, with human rights organizations calling on Saudi Arabia to spare his life.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch criticized the death sentence, raising concerns about freedom of expression and the treatment of migrant workers.
International rights groups had also joined calls for Saudi to spare his life.
“Saudi authorities should end their use of abusive laws to hand out extraordinary sentences for speech-related offenses, especially against migrant workers who are already in a vulnerable position with limited protections,” Joey Shea, senior Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch, told the BBC on Tuesday.
The case surrounding Anojan attracted international attention, with both his family and Sri Lankan officials working to secure a more favorable outcome.
His mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, even made an emotional public plea for mercy, asking Saudi authorities to forgive her son and allow him to return home. The family had also expressed concern after reportedly receiving no updates from him for days.
Death sentence overturned
Now, however, there has been an update. The Supreme Court has overturned the sentence.
Faizer Mustafa, a Sri Lankan lawmaker involved in legal negotiations with Saudi Arabia over Sivarasa’s case, confirmed to BBC Sinhala that the country had overturned the death sentence. He added that they are reviewing the Supreme Court’s latest ruling.
While the decision brings joy to many, it does not necessarily mean Anojan will be released immediately. It remains unclear whether further legal proceedings will follow or how long he will remain in detention.
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