The Facebook Post Behind a Death Sentence: Sri Lanka’s Race to Save Anojan Sivarasa in Saudi Arabia

A 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker faces the death penalty in Saudi Arabia over a Facebook comment deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, despite deleting the post and publishing an apology video. His sentence was increased from five years in prison to death on appeal, prompting diplomatic and legal efforts in Sri Lanka to secure his release.

Anojan Sivarasa's case has sparked public concern across Sri Lanka, with political representatives, lawyers and religious leaders urging authorities to intervene. The BBC reported on 5 October that his family had received no updates about his condition since 28 September. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan authorities are pursuing legal and diplomatic efforts to challenge the sentence.

Saudi authorities had not published an official execution timeline, according to the BBC's report on 5 October.

From Five Years in Jail to a Death Sentence

The Al-Ahsa Criminal Court initially sentenced Sivarasa to five years in prison and fined him three million Saudi riyals, approximately $800,000 or £600,000, on 27 July. The punishment was imposed under Saudi Arabia's Anti-Cybercrime Law.

According to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, an appeal seeking a reduction in the original punishment was rejected.

The case took a dramatic turn on 17 September, when the Saudi prosecution sought to have the case dealt with under Sharia law rather than the country's cybercrime legislation. The Court of Appeal in the Eastern Region granted the request and increased Sivarasa's sentence to death.

Amnesty International has called on Saudi authorities to overturn the sentence and release him immediately and unconditionally. The organisation also said Sivarasa was denied access to a lawyer from his arrest until his initial sentencing.

Sri Lanka is pursuing further legal options, with the government telling Parliament that an appeal process has a 17 October deadline. A legal delegation has travelled to Saudi Arabia to meet the lawyers handling the case and finalise documents for a further challenge. The precise procedural status of that appeal should be confirmed before publication.

How a Deleted Facebook Post Led to His Arrest

The case began with an online argument following a religious incident in Sri Lanka in late June.

According to the BBC, footage circulated on social media showing a young Muslim man kicking a dog following Hindu pilgrims during a pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. The video prompted heated exchanges between users discussing religion.

During the online dispute, a user posted a derogatory remark about a Hindu deity, according to BBC reporting. Sivarasa responded in Tamil with a comment deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad.

Sivarasa later told the court that he made the comment in a moment of anger. He deleted it and published a video apologising for his remarks, according to Amnesty International.

The comment had already been screenshotted and brought to the attention of Sivarasa's employer and Saudi officials, the BBC reported. His brother told the BBC that people in Sri Lanka had emailed the company, which then notified Saudi authorities.

Sivarasa was arrested in July. His personal devices were confiscated, and Saudi officials deleted his social media accounts, according to BBC reporting.

The case illustrates how deleting a social media post may not prevent it from being circulated or used as evidence after others have saved copies.

Sri Lanka Launches Efforts to Save Him

Sivarasa's case has prompted diplomatic intervention from Sri Lanka, with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake meeting the worker's relatives on 21 September.

During the meeting, the president pledged to pursue efforts to secure a general pardon and directed diplomatic channels to engage with Saudi authorities.

A Sri Lankan legal delegation has travelled to Saudi Arabia to meet the lawyers handling Sivarasa's case and discuss the next legal steps. The delegation includes three senior lawyers and a representative from Sri Lanka's Attorney General's Department, according to reporting published on 8 October.

Speaking to BBC Sinhala, President's Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma said: 'There are two law firms in Saudi Arabia handling Anojan's case. We are going there to meet the lawyers from these two firms, discuss the case and plan what can be done next.'

The reported approach combines diplomatic efforts to seek clemency with attempts to pursue further legal options. The delegation's immediate task includes meeting the Saudi legal teams and preparing the next steps in the case.

Buddhist and Hindu Leaders Join the Appeal

Pressure for intervention has extended beyond Sivarasa's family and legal representatives.

Senior Buddhist figures, including Mahanayake Theros from the Ramanna Nikaya and Amarapura Maha Nikaya, have joined Hindu religious leaders in appealing for government action.

The religious leaders handed a memorandum to the Presidential Secretariat urging authorities to take steps to save Sivarasa.

Their intervention reflects the breadth of concern the case has generated in Sri Lanka, where the death sentence has prompted appeals across religious and political lines.

Human Rights Concerns Over Online Speech

Amnesty International has condemned the death sentence, arguing that Sivarasa should not face execution over an online comment. The organisation has called for the sentence to be overturned, his conviction quashed and his immediate, unconditional release.

Amnesty has criticised Saudi Arabia's broader use of cybercrime and counter-terrorism laws to restrict online expression. In Sivarasa's case, the initial prison sentence and fine were imposed under the Anti-Cybercrime Law before prosecutors sought a death sentence under Sharia.

Saudi Arabia has no written penal code, and many offences and punishments are left to judges' interpretation of Sharia, Amnesty says. The organisation has also criticised the imposition of severe penalties for non-violent conduct.

The case has also renewed scrutiny of the risks foreign workers can face over online expression in Saudi Arabia, where human rights organisations have raised concerns about severe penalties and access to legal representation.

Legal and diplomatic efforts are continuing as Sivarasa's family seeks to have the death sentence overturned and secure his return to Sri Lanka.