Sri Lankan Worker Faces Death Penalty in Saudi Arabia, m.news.nate.com Reports

Anujan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old migrant worker from Sri Lanka employed in Saudi Arabia, faces a death sentence after a Saudi appeals court applied Islamic law for a social media comment, m.news.nate.com reported.

Sivarasa Insulted Prophet Muhammad After Religious Dispute

The case began in late June following a Hindu pilgrimage event in Sri Lanka. A video circulated online showing a young Muslim man kicking a dog that was following Hindu pilgrims, which sparked an online religious dispute. After an internet user posted content demeaning Hindu deities, Sivarasa replied in Tamil with a comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

Sivarasa quickly deleted the comment and posted an apology video, but another user captured screenshots and sent them to his employer and Saudi authorities. He was arrested in July, and authorities confiscated his personal devices and deleted his social media accounts.

He was initially sentenced by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court to five years in prison and a fine of 3 million riyals, equivalent to about $800,000 or 1.074 billion won. An appeal requesting a reduced sentence was rejected, and Saudi prosecutors subsequently appealed to apply Sharia law instead of the cybercrime statute. On September 17, an appeals court accepted that request, upgrading the punishment to the death penalty.

Sri Lankan Leaders Seek Pardon for Sivarasa

The ruling triggered widespread shock in Sri Lanka, prompting ongoing civil society petitions, political party appeals, and government intervention. Sivarasa’s family met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who pledged to pursue all available avenues to secure a pardon.

Buddhist and Hindu religious leaders submitted petitions urging immediate government intervention. Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan legal delegation consisting of four representatives traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with local defense attorneys representing Sivarasa.

Communication with the family has been completely cut off. His brother, Hamsidhan Sivarasa, stated that his brother had not called for two days and that inquiries sent to the embassy had received no response. Saudi authorities do not permit death row inmates to use personal mobile phones, restricting calls to prison-managed channels.

Migrant Vulnerability Under Saudi Law

Human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over harsh penalties imposed in Saudi Arabia for online speech. In July 2023, a retired teacher named Muhammad al-Ghamdi was sentenced to death over social media posts before his sentence was later commuted to 30 years in imprisonment.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 10 million foreign workers reside in Saudi Arabia. Human rights advocates note that low-wage migrant workers are particularly vulnerable within the Saudi legal system due to language barriers and a lack of adequate legal assistance, although executions for blasphemy remain rare compared to drug or murder cases.