Saudi Arabia Overturns Death Sentence of Sri Lankan Laborer Accused of Blasphemy for Facebook Comment

Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the death sentence given to Anojan Sivaras, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan Hindu migrant worker, over a Facebook comment deemed insulting to Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, following sustained diplomatic and legal efforts by Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday, October 14, saying the Supreme Court overturned the death sentence on October 13, according to Sri Lanka’s Newswire.

The verdict marks a significant development in the Sivarasa case, which has prompted calls for clemency from Sri Lankan lawmakers and religious leaders, along with diplomatic intervention from the country’s government.

How a Facebook exchange led to a death sentence

Sivaras’ ordeal began after an incident during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka in late June, when footage showing a young man kicking a dog accompanying Hindu pilgrims went viral on social media, sparking heated exchanges online.

During the ensuing argument, the user allegedly posted derogatory remarks about the Hindu deity.

Sivarasa responded in Tamil with a comment about the Prophet Muhammad, which was subsequently deemed blasphemous.

Although Sivarasa deleted the comment soon after and posted an apology video, screenshots of the exchange continued to circulate online.

His brother Hamsidan told the BBC that individuals in Sri Lanka emailed Sivaras’ employer in Saudi Arabia and alerted authorities to the post. According to media reports, his electronic devices were confiscated and his social media accounts were deleted.

Sivarasa was subsequently arrested and faced trial in Saudi Arabia.

How the punishment escalated from prison to the death penalty

On July 15, a criminal court sentenced Al-Ahs Sivaras to five years in prison and imposed a fine of three million Saudi riyals, equivalent to approximately $800,000, for a Facebook comment.

But the case took a turn for the worse after a Saudi appeals court on September 17 overturned the original verdict and sentenced him to death for blasphemy under Sharia law, Newswire reports.

An appeal was subsequently filed with the Saudi Supreme Court on October 11, paving the way for the latest ruling to overturn the death sentence.

The Supreme Court’s decision followed weeks of diplomatic negotiations and appeals by political and religious leaders in Sri Lanka who asked for clemency for the migrant worker.

Sri Lankan lawmakers and religious leaders appeal for clemency

Efforts to secure help for Sivaras included lawmakers from various communities in Sri Lanka appealing to Saudi authorities to reconsider the sentence.

According to the Tamil Guardian, six Tamil and Muslim MPs – Rauff Hakeem, Rishad Bathiudeen, V. Radhakrishnan, Jeevan Thondaman, Selvam Adaikalanathan and Shanakiyan Rasamanickam – wrote to the Saudi foreign minister on September 24 asking for clemency for Sivarasu.

Senior Buddhist leaders, including the Mahanayake Theros of Ramanna Maha Nikaya and Amarapura Maha Nikaya, also submitted memoranda to the Sri Lankan president calling for immediate intervention, the publication said. Hindu religious leaders also issued similar calls for action.

Sri Lanka’s diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia was also affected. The Independent reported that Sri Lankan ambassador Omar Lebbe Ameer Ajwad visited Sivaras at Dammam Central Prison on October 8 to inquire about his health after he was allegedly assaulted by a fellow inmate last week.