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Saudi Arabia overturns death sentence for Sri Lankan man over Facebook comment
Overview
Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has set aside the death sentence for Anojan Sivarasa, a 27-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker who was previously convicted of blasphemy over a social media comment. Sri Lankan Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra confirmed the ruling, following diplomatic efforts and legal negotiations between both nations.
Key points
- Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court set aside the death sentence for Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa.
- Sivarasa had been sentenced to death in September after being convicted of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad over a Facebook comment written in Tamil.
- He had deleted the comment and posted an apology video, but a screenshot was reported to his employer and Saudi authorities, leading to his arrest in July.
- Sri Lankan Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra and lawmaker Faizer Mustafa confirmed the Supreme Court's decision.
- It remains unclear whether Sivarasa will face further legal proceedings or when he will be released from detention.