Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence imposed on Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa over a Facebook comment deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, following months of legal proceedings and diplomatic intervention by Sri Lanka.
Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra announced the decision on Facebook, crediting sustained cooperation between Sri Lankan and Saudi authorities.
The ruling removes the immediate death sentence, although Sivarasa’s detention status and the possibility of further legal proceedings remain unclear.
Sivarasa, originally from Kalmunai in eastern Sri Lanka, was sentenced to death in September after prosecutors sought harsher punishment under Sharia law.
The case prompted widespread concern in Sri Lanka, leading Colombo to dispatch a four-member legal team to Riyadh to pursue clemency.
Hemachandra thanked Saudi authorities and legal representatives from both countries for their involvement.
Sri Lankan lawmaker Faizer Mustafa, who participated in negotiations, confirmed the reversal and said legal representatives were reviewing the Supreme Court’s decision.
International human rights organizations had also urged Saudi Arabia to spare Sivarasa’s life, raising concerns about severe penalties for speech-related offenses and the vulnerability of migrant workers.
The case originated in late June after footage showing a man kicking a dog accompanying Hindu pilgrims circulated online, triggering religious arguments.
Sivarasa responded to derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity with a Tamil-language Facebook comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
He subsequently deleted the comment and published an apology video, but screenshots reached his employer and Saudi authorities.
He was arrested in July, less than a year after arriving in Saudi Arabia.
The Al-Ahsa Criminal Court initially imposed a five-year prison sentence and a fine of three million Saudi riyals, approximately $800,000.
Prosecutors subsequently appealed for prosecution under Sharia law, resulting in the September death sentence.
Sivarasa has been held at Dammam Central Prison, where he was reportedly moved to another cell after an assault by a fellow inmate.
His family previously reported losing direct contact with him in late September.
Authorities have not clarified whether he will remain imprisoned or face additional proceedings.