The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has annulled the death sentence of Anojan Sivarasa, a 27-year-old migrant worker from Sri Lanka. He had been found guilty over a Facebook comment that Saudi authorities deemed offensive to Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
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The news was confirmed by Sri Lanka’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Arun Hemachandra. In a Facebook post, he expressed gratitude to the authorities and legal teams of both countries for their efforts. The case sparked strong reactions in Sri Lanka and prompted diplomatic efforts to secure a pardon for Sivarasa.
In September, a Saudi appeals court had sentenced the 27-year-old to death after finding him guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
The events began after a debate on social media in late June. The discussion spread after footage circulated online showing a young Muslim man kicking a dog following a group of Hindu pilgrims.
The video triggered virtual clashes with religious content. In the debate, one user posted derogatory comments about a Hindu deity, while Sivarasa wrote an offensive comment about the Prophet Muhammad in the Tamil language.
According to reports, he removed the comment shortly afterward and posted a video in which he apologized. However, a screenshot of the comment was sent to his employer and Saudi authorities. Sivarasa was arrested in July.
Initially, the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court had sentenced him to five years in prison and a fine of three million Saudi riyals, worth around 800,000 dollars. On appeal, the sentence was stiffened and replaced with the death penalty.
Following the annulment of this sentence, it remains unclear whether further legal proceedings will follow, whether he will remain in detention, and how long he may stay in prison.
Sri Lankan lawmaker Faizer Mustafa, who has taken part in legal negotiations with Saudi Arabia, confirmed to BBC Sinhala that the execution order has been overturned. According to him, the Supreme Court’s latest ruling is being reviewed to determine the next steps.
Sivarasa’s family had previously stated that they had not communicated directly with him since September 28, which had heightened concern about his condition.
The case also drew attention from international human rights organizations, which urged Saudi Arabia not to execute the young man.
Joey Shea, senior Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch, had criticized the application of laws that impose severe punishments for online statements. She particularly highlighted the vulnerability of migrant workers and the limited protection they receive.
“Saudi authorities should end the use of abusive laws to impose extreme sentences for offenses related to expression, especially against migrant workers,” was her appeal.
