A 24-year-old Sri Lankan Hindu migrant worker, Sivarasa Anojan, is facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia over a Facebook comment about Islam and Prophet Muhammad posted during a religious dispute in Sri Lanka. His sentence was initially five years in prison and a fine of three million Saudi riyals, but was later increased to death after prosecutors appealed for the case to be considered under Sharia law. His family, Sri Lankan politicians and religious leaders are now seeking clemency through diplomatic and legal channels.
The case began after a video circulated online in late June showing a young Muslim man kicking a dog during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. The footage prompted an argument on social media, during which derogatory remarks were posted about a Hindu deity. Anojan responded in Tamil with a comment about Prophet Muhammad, which he later deleted before posting an apology video. However, a screenshot of the original comment had reportedly been saved. According to his brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, people in Sri Lanka subsequently alerted the company where Anojan worked in Saudi Arabia. The company notified Saudi authorities, who registered a case and seized his personal devices.
The Al-Ahsa Criminal Court sentenced Anojan on July 15 to five years in prison and imposed a fine of three million Saudi riyals, equivalent to approximately $800,000. An appeal seeking a reduction in the sentence was rejected, according to reports quoting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath. Saudi prosecutors then challenged the ruling, seeking prosecution under Sharia law instead of cybercrime legislation. On September 17, an appellate court accepted the prosecution's request and increased the punishment to death, according to the BBC. Anojan's family has reportedly not heard from him since September 28, prompting his brother to contact the Sri Lankan embassy for assistance.
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Efforts to secure his release have gathered support across Sri Lanka. Six Tamil and Muslim parliamentarians wrote to the Saudi foreign minister on September 24 seeking mercy, arguing that the incident did not reflect Anojan's character and that he had not deliberately intended to commit such an offence. Senior Buddhist leaders from the Ramanna Maha Nikaya and Amarapura Maha Nikaya, alongside Hindu religious leaders, have also urged Sri Lankan authorities to intervene. Signature campaigns, vigils and joint prayers have taken place in the country's northern and eastern regions as calls for clemency continue.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met Anojan's family on September 21 and reportedly assured them that the government would make efforts to obtain a pardon. A four-member legal delegation led by Additional Solicitor General Azard Navavi is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia to prepare an appeal before the country's Supreme Court. The team includes President's Counsel Faizer Musthapha, President's Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma and attorney Hafeel Farisz. A parliamentary delegation is also expected to carry a clemency appeal from the Sri Lankan president, while the government has said it will cover the legal expenses.
The case has renewed attention on the consequences of online speech under Saudi law, where social media activity has previously led to severe sentences. Human rights organisations have highlighted other cases involving online comments, including that of retired Saudi teacher Mohammed Al Ghamdi, whose death sentence in 2023 was later overturned and replaced with a 30-year prison term. For Anojan's family, however, the immediate concern is the possibility of his execution. As Sri Lankan officials and lawyers pursue further appeals, his mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, has publicly pleaded for forgiveness and asked that her son be allowed to return home.
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