Saudi Arabia urged to spare man sentenced to death over Facebook post
3 hours ago
- A Sri Lankan migrant worker, Anojan Sivarasa, 24, is facing execution in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of blasphemy over a Facebook comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
- The comment was posted during an online religious dispute linked to a video of a man kicking a dog during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka.
- Anojan deleted the post and apologized, but screenshots were sent to his employer and Saudi authorities, leading to his arrest in July.
- He was initially sentenced to five years in prison and a fine, but an appeal by prosecutors under Sharia law increased the sentence to the death penalty.
- His family has made desperate pleas for mercy, and Sri Lankan political and religious leaders are pushing for a pardon or diplomatic intervention.
- The family has received no updates on his condition since late September, and Saudi Arabia has a history of carrying out executions without warning families.
- Human rights groups highlight concerns about severe sentences for online speech in Saudi Arabia and the particular vulnerability of low-wage migrant workers.