Sri Lankan Migrant Worker Sentenced to Death in Saudi Arabia Over Facebook Post

By douglasharrington // 2026-10-11

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A Saudi appellate court has sentenced a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker to death after finding him guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad over a comment posted to Facebook, according to reports. The worker, Anojan Sivarasa, was arrested on July 1, 2026, after the comment drew the attention of his employer and Saudi authorities, according to Amnesty International [1]. The case began with an online dispute in June 2026 that followed a video appearing to show a Muslim man kicking a dog during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka, according to reporting by the BBC and other outlets [2][3]. Sivarasa, originally from Kalmunai in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province, had been in Saudi Arabia for less than a year when he was arrested, according to The Independent [4]. He was initially sentenced to five years in prison and fined 3 million Saudi riyals, equivalent to roughly $800,000, by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court on July 27, 2026, according to Amnesty International [5][6]. As of early October 2026, his family said they had not received information about his condition since Sept. 28, according to BBC reporting [7]. An appeal against the death sentence remains pending.

Facebook Argument Preceded Arrest

The sequence of events that led to Sivarasa's arrest began with footage posted to Facebook in June 2026. The video appeared to show a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka and a Muslim man kicking a dog that was following the pilgrims, according to a BBC report cited by Hindustan Times [8]. In the online exchanges that followed, one Facebook user posted derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity, according to the report. He deleted the comment shortly after posting it. The Sri Lankan worker also published a video apology expressing remorse for the post, according to Amnesty International, which reported that he told the judge he made the comment during a moment of anger [5][9]. A screenshot of the deleted comment nevertheless circulated. Saudi authorities subsequently viewed the post, and Sivarasa was arrested in July 2026. The report stated that his employer and Saudi officials were made aware of the post before the arrest [3][2].

Legal Proceedings and Sentence

Saudi prosecutors escalated the case against Sivarasa on Sept. 17, 2026, when they demanded that he be tried under Sharia law rather than the kingdom's cybercrime legislation, according to reports. The Al-Ahsa Criminal Court had initially convicted him on July 27 and sentenced him to five years in prison and a fine of 3 million riyals, according to Amnesty International [5]. The appellate court found Sivarasa guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad and imposed the death penalty, according to multiple reports [10][11]. Under Sharia-based legal frameworks, blasphemy against Islam is treated as a capital offense in Saudi Arabia, and observers note that the case illustrates the severity with which Saudi authorities pursue such charges [10]. The move to charge Sivarasa under Sharia law rather than the cybercrime statute was described by Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, who told the Sri Lankan parliament that an appeal submitted on Sivarasa's behalf had been rejected before prosecutors launched their own appeal seeking the harsher charge [12][13]. Amnesty International condemned the sentence and called on Saudi authorities to overturn it and release Sivarasa unconditionally, stating that the charges against him stem entirely from his exercise of the right to freedom of expression [1][5]. Saudi officials have not publicly commented on the specific case, and the kingdom's legal system does not provide for the same appellate review processes common in Western jurisdictions.

Sri Lanka Rallies to Defend Worker

The death sentence has triggered widespread reaction in Sri Lanka, with protests and civil society petitions held across the country, according to reports. Political parties from across the spectrum have collaborated in efforts to spare Sivarasa's life, according to UCANews, which reported that politicians across party lines joined the family in seeking a pardon [14][7]. Sivarasa's mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, made a public plea for mercy through tears. Her son had told her by telephone that his sentence had been increased to death, according to Tamil Guardian reporting [12]. Sri Lankan authorities have also taken steps in response. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with Sivarasa's family in September 2026 and promised that his government would do everything in its power to secure Sivarasa's release, according to The Mirror [7]. A four-person legal delegation, including President's Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma and Faiszer Musthapha, traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with lawyers handling the case and explore options for commuting the sentence, according to Blueprint [15][7]. Herath stated that the government is striving to provide legal and diplomatic assistance and plans to appeal to Saudi Arabia's higher court [16].

References

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Christianophobia by Shortt Rupert
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