Saudi Supreme Court Annuls Sri Lankan Man's Death Sentence for Blasphemy Post

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's highest judicial body, the Supreme Court, has reportedly rescinded the death penalty previously imposed on a Sri Lankan migrant labourer due to a remark he published on Facebook. This development was confirmed by Arun Hemachandra, Colombo's Deputy Foreign Minister.

Anojan Sivarasa, aged 27, had received a death sentence in September following a conviction by a Saudi appellate court for blasphemy against Islam and Prophet Muhammad concerning his online statement. This particular case had created significant alarm across Sri Lanka, prompting intense diplomatic initiatives to appeal for his pardon.

On Wednesday, October 14, Saudi Arabia's apex court officially overturned the judgment, as announced by Hemachandra via a Facebook post. In his statement, he extended gratitude to the legal teams and authorities of both Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia for their dedicated work.

The incident's genesis traces back to late June, when a video showing a young Muslim man kicking a dog that was accompanying Hindu pilgrims became widely shared on social media. This footage sparked heated religious debates online. Within these discussions, a user made disrespectful comments about a Hindu deity, which then prompted Sivarasa to reply in Tamil with insults directed at Prophet Muhammad.

Despite Sivarasa swiftly removing the offensive comment and uploading a video apology, a screenshot of his remark was brought to the notice of his employer and subsequently Saudi authorities, resulting in his arrest in July.

Uncertainty remains regarding any potential future legal actions against Sivarasa, or the duration of his continued detention. Earlier, the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court had initially sentenced him to a five-year prison term along with a hefty fine of three million Saudi riyals, equivalent to approximately $0.8 million or £0.6 million.

Faizer Mustafa, a Sri Lankan legislator actively engaged in diplomatic and legal discussions with Saudi Arabia concerning Sivarasa's situation, corroborated to BBC Sinhala that the death sentence had indeed been overturned. He further noted that the Supreme Court's most recent decision is currently under review.

Sivarasa's relatives had previously reported a lack of direct communication with him since September 28.

Globally, human rights organizations had also advocated for Saudi authorities to show leniency and save Sivarasa's life. Joey Shea, a senior Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated on Tuesday, "Saudi authorities should cease employing oppressive laws to impose extreme penalties for offences related to speech, particularly against migrant workers who are inherently vulnerable and possess minimal safeguards."