World · India Bureau
Saudi court overturns death sentence for Sri Lankan Hindu worker
Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has quashed a death penalty imposed on Sri Lankan migrant worker Sivarasa Anojan, who had been convicted of blasphemy over a social media comment. The reversal comes after diplomatic intervention by Colombo.
LSN India ·
The Saudi Arabian Supreme Court has set aside the death sentence handed down to Sivarasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan Hindu national employed in the kingdom, marking a significant development in a case that had drawn international attention.
Anojan had been prosecuted and sentenced to death on blasphemy charges related to a comment posted on Facebook. The case had prompted Sri Lanka to launch diplomatic efforts with Saudi authorities to seek a review of the conviction, reflecting growing international concern over blasphemy laws and their application to migrant workers in the Gulf region.
The Supreme Court's decision to overturn the death penalty represents a rare reversal in Saudi Arabia's handling of blasphemy cases. Blasphemy convictions carry severe penalties under Saudi law, which applies strict Islamic legal principles to such offences.
The case had drawn particular scrutiny from civil rights advocates and labour organizations that monitor the treatment of migrant workers in Gulf states. Sri Lanka's diplomatic intervention underscored the broader challenges faced by South Asian workers abroad and highlighted tensions between national sovereignty and religious laws in countries hosting large expatriate populations.