Sivarasa Anojan death sentence reportedly follows his Saudi appeal, as his mother urges Sri Lanka’s President to help bring him home safely.
The reported Sivarasa Anojan death sentence in Saudi Arabia has prompted his mother to appeal directly to the Sri Lankan government and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for urgent intervention.
Anojan, a Sri Lankan migrant worker, faces legal proceedings over a Facebook comment deemed insulting to Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
His mother has now appealed to the government and President to take every possible step to bring her son safely back to Sri Lanka. The reported death sentence, however, has not yet been formally confirmed in writing by Saudi judicial authorities.
Sivarasa Anojan Death Sentence Follows Appeal
Anojan had previously received a five-year prison sentence and a fine of three million Saudi riyals.
His lawyer submitted an appeal against that judgment to the relevant appellate court in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region on August 25, 2026.
However, the lawyer who attended the proceedings later verbally informed the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh that the appellate court had reportedly increased the punishment to the death penalty.
The Embassy is now awaiting the formal written judgment from the relevant Saudi judicial authorities. That document is expected to provide official details and the legal basis for the reported decision.
Sri Lankan authorities have communicated the government’s serious concern, together with the concerns of Anojan’s family, to the Chargé d’Affaires of the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Colombo.
Discussions have also taken place over the case.
According to information provided by Anojan’s lawyer, the appellate judgment can be challenged before the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia within one month.
The Sri Lankan Embassy, acting under instructions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in coordination with Anojan’s next of kin, is therefore taking steps to lodge that appeal within the stipulated period.
Government Explores Legal and Diplomatic Options
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the government was discussing the appeal process with Anojan’s family.
At the same time, Sri Lankan authorities are considering diplomatic avenues. These include seeking a Royal Pardon or attempting to secure a commutation of the reported sentence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Sri Lanka will remain engaged through its diplomatic network and bilateral channels with Saudi authorities.
The government will also continue providing consular assistance to Anojan and his family as the legal process moves forward.
Sri Lankan authorities say they will closely monitor further developments while respecting Saudi Arabia’s laws and judicial process.
For Anojan’s family, however, the immediate focus remains on the next legal step and the diplomatic efforts that could follow.
His mother’s appeal now adds a deeply personal plea to the Sivarasa Anojan death sentence case as Sri Lankan authorities await the formal Saudi court judgment and prepare for the remaining legal avenues.
