The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has commuted the death penalty verdict handed down to Sri Lankan foreign worker Anojan Sivarasa after his comment on Facebook, according to Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra, speaking on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
The judgment was handed down on Tuesday, October 13, after diplomatic and legal actions taken by the government of Sri Lanka against the death sentence. The diplomat called the news a big relief and thanked the government of Saudi Arabia, Sri Lankan diplomats and lawyers from both nations for their efforts.
But the most recent verdict has yet to indicate whether Sivarasa will actually be freed from prison. It is also still unknown whether his initial sentence of five years in jail and a fine of three million Saudi riyals would still apply.
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Who Is Anojan Sivarasa? Why Was The Sri Lankan Worker Sentenced To Death?
Anojan Sivarasa is the name of a Sri Lankan migrant worker who was working in Saudi Arabia. The man has been investigated for posting something that Saudi officials perceived as insults against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
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