A 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker, Anujan Sivarasa, has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court found him guilty of making offensive comments about Islam and Prophet Muhammad on Facebook. The court issued its ruling on September 17, 2026, under Sharia law.
Sivarasa was initially sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of 3 million Saudi Riyals by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court on July 27, 2026, under the country’s cybercrime law. However, Saudi prosecutors appealed for a harsher punishment, leading to the death sentence from the appellate court. The fine was removed, but the confiscation of his devices and closure of social media accounts were upheld.
Sri Lankan government intensifies efforts
The Sri Lankan government is intensifying diplomatic and legal efforts to secure clemency for Sivarasa. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath informed parliament about the death sentence on September 22, 2026, and plans to raise the issue directly with the Saudi Foreign Minister during the United Nations General Assembly.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is expected to send an appeal for pardon to the King of Saudi Arabia. A delegation from the Sri Lankan parliament and a special presidential delegation are also preparing to travel to Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will cover all current and future expenses related to Sivarasa’s case.
Background to the case
Sivarasa, who arrived in Saudi Arabia in September 2025, was arrested on July 2, 2026. He was accused of posting offensive comments in Tamil on Facebook about Prophet Muhammad during a religious dispute in Sri Lanka. The dispute originated from a social media debate concerning a dog named ‘Subramaniam’ that traveled with Hindu pilgrims and an incident where a Muslim youth kicked the dog in Kalmunai. Sivarasa removed the comments and apologized immediately, but screenshots reached his employer and Saudi authorities.
Amnesty International and several other international organizations have urged the Saudi government to grant clemency. Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu religious leaders in Sri Lanka have also called for intervention to secure Sivarasa’s release. Mano Ganesan, leader of the Tamil Progressive Alliance, has appealed to Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for a pardon.
Legal and diplomatic next steps
A four-member Sri Lankan legal delegation, including Additional Solicitor General Azarath Navavi and President’s Counsels Upul Kumarapperuma and Faizer Mustapha, departed for Saudi Arabia on October 5 or 6, 2026. The team is expected to meet with representatives of two Saudi legal firms on October 7 or 8, 2026, to finalize an appeal to the Saudi Supreme Court through the Attorney General’s Department. Documents for a royal appeal for clemency have also been prepared.
The Saudi government has not yet announced a date for the execution. Sivarasa’s family reported losing contact with him since September 28, 2026. There are also claims from the family that a different lawyer than the one named in the appeal appeared in court, with no details provided about this lawyer’s identity or contact.
