Politics · India Bureau
Saudi Arabia Overturns Death Sentence for Sri Lankan Worker
Saudi Arabia has overturned a death sentence imposed on Sri Lankan national Anojan Sivarasa, 27, who was convicted of blasphemy over a social media post. The reversal comes just weeks after the initial conviction by a Saudi court.
LSN India ·
Anojan Sivarasa, a 27-year-old Sri Lankan national, will not face execution following Saudi Arabia's decision to overturn his death sentence. The dramatic reversal comes approximately one month after a Saudi court convicted him of blasphemy based on content posted on Facebook.
The case had drawn significant attention in Sri Lanka and among South Asian communities abroad, with many expressing concern over the severity of the sentence. Blasphemy convictions in Saudi Arabia have historically carried severe penalties, though the kingdom has in recent years shown occasional leniency in overturning such sentences.
Details regarding the specific Facebook post that led to the initial conviction and the grounds for the reversal have not been disclosed. The case highlights the ongoing tensions between social media expression and religious laws in the Kingdom, as well as broader questions surrounding the legal treatment of foreign workers in Saudi Arabia.
Sri Lanka's government has maintained diplomatic engagement with Saudi Arabia, where thousands of Sri Lankan nationals work, many in domestic and labor sectors. The outcome is expected to provide some relief to Sivarasa's family and supporters who had campaigned against the death sentence.