Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the death sentence handed to Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan Hindu migrant worker, over a Facebook comment deemed insulting to Islam and 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 set aside the death sentence on October 13, according to news outlet Newswire.
The ruling marks a significant development in Sivarasa’s case, which triggered appeals for clemency from Sri Lankan lawmakers and religious leaders, alongside diplomatic intervention by the country’s government.
Sivarasa’s 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 circulated on social media, triggering heated online exchanges.
During the ensuing argument, a user allegedly posted derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity.
Sivarasa responded in Tamil with a comment about Prophet Muhammad, which was subsequently deemed blasphemous.
Although Sivarasa deleted the comment soon afterwards 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 Sivarasa’s employer in Saudi Arabia, alerting authorities to the post. His electronic devices were seized, and his social media accounts were deleted, according to media reports.
Sivarasa was subsequently arrested and faced legal proceedings in Saudi Arabia.
On July 15, the Al-Ahsa sentenced Sivarasa to five years in prison and imposed a fine of three million Saudi riyals, equivalent to approximately $800,000, over the Facebook comment.
However, the case took a more serious turn after the Saudi Court of Appeal overturned the original sentence on September 17 and sentenced him to death for blasphemy under , according to Newswire.
An appeal was subsequently filed before the on October 11, paving the way for the latest ruling overturning the death sentence.
The decision followed weeks of diplomatic engagement and appeals from political representatives and religious leaders in Sri Lanka seeking clemency for the migrant worker.
Efforts to secure relief for Sivarasa involved lawmakers from different communities in Sri Lanka, who appealed 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 seeking mercy for Sivarasa.
Senior Buddhist leaders, including the Mahanayake Theros of the Ramanna Maha Nikaya and Amarapura Maha Nikaya, also submitted memoranda to Sri Lanka’s president urging immediate intervention, the publication reported. Hindu religious leaders similarly called for action.
diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia also intervened. The Independent reported that Sri Lankan Ambassador Omar Lebbe Ameer Ajwad visited Sivarasa at Dammam Central Prison on October 8 to enquire about his well-being after he was reportedly assaulted by a cellmate the previous week.
