- Saudi Arabia reportedly imposed a death sentence on Sri Lankan worker Sivarasa Anojan over a Facebook comment.
- An earlier ruling had ordered five years in prison and a SAR 3 million fine before the appeal.
- Sri Lanka is considering legal appeal and clemency, while a lawmaker plans to raise the case next week.
Saudi Arabia has reportedly sentenced Sri Lankan migrant worker Sivarasa Anojan to death after an appeal over a Facebook comment deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad. The ruling followed an earlier judgment imposing five years in prison and a fine of SAR 3 million.
The appeal decision was issued on Thursday, according to public accounts describing the case. Anojan is identified as a Sri Lankan Tamil working in Saudi Arabia.
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The public coverage treats the death sentence as reported rather than officially confirmed. The accounts describe an appellate decision, not an execution.
The reported ruling has prompted pressure on Sri Lanka’s government to pursue both court-based and diplomatic options. Officials are consulting Anojan’s family while considering possible intervention with Saudi authorities.
The reported decision came on Thursday, September 18, 2026. Rajkumar Rajeevkanth, a Sri Lankan social activist involved in the case, said in a Facebook post that the sentence had been imposed “on Thursday.”
The earlier judgment carried a prison term and a large financial penalty. It ordered five years’ imprisonment and a SAR 3 million fine before the appeal produced the harsher outcome.
Sri Lanka is weighing a new legal filing and diplomatic clemency
Nalinda Jayatissa, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet spokesman and Minister, said the government was consulting Anojan’s family about lodging an appeal. Officials were also examining diplomatic avenues.
Jayatissa described those options at a post-Cabinet media briefing:
“the government was consulting Anojan's family about lodging an appeal and simultaneously exploring diplomatic options, including a royal pardon or a reduction of his sentence”
The possible measures include a royal pardon or a reduction of the punishment. The government’s response therefore combines a legal route with a request for clemency.
The public accounts do not establish that either option has changed the appellate ruling. They show officials discussing how to respond after the reported decision.
A lawmaker plans to take the case to Parliament next week
Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, the Batticaloa District MP, said he planned to raise the case in Parliament next week. He also questioned the Foreign Ministry’s handling of the matter.
Rasamanickam called for immediate action.
“Sivarasa Anojan’s life must be saved.”
He said he intended to bring the case before lawmakers after reports that the appeal had resulted in capital punishment. His statement adds parliamentary pressure to the government’s consultations with the family.
The appeal was filed on August 24, 2026, according to the family account published in Sinhala-language reporting. That account says relatives sought intervention after learning of the appellate result.
The family account records an August filing and a delayed letter
The Sinhala-language family account also describes a payment connected with the case and the timing of the appeal paperwork.
| Reported detail | Date or amount |
|---|---|
| Appeal filed | August 24, 2026 |
| Payment made by the family | Rs. 1,890,766 |
| Account named in the report | Foreign Ministry secretary |
| Appeal letter received by the family | September 16, 2026 |
According to that account, the family paid Rs. 1,890,766 into an account in the name of the Foreign Ministry secretary. Relatives reportedly received the appeal letter only on September 16, 2026.
The delay left the family seeking immediate intervention to save Anojan. The account says relatives made repeated efforts to obtain information about the case and its outcome.
The reported ruling now sits at the center of Sri Lanka’s response. The government is considering a legal appeal and diplomatic clemency, while Rasamanickam plans to raise the matter in Parliament next week.
The reported decision date remains Thursday, September 18, 2026, as officials and the family pursue those options.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
