Saudi Arabia overturns death sentence for man over Facebook comment, Sri Lanka says
Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of a Sri Lankan migrant worker who was convicted of blasphemy for a social media comment. The case had sparked significant diplomatic efforts between the two nations to secure clemency.
Why it matters
The case highlights the severe legal risks migrant workers face regarding local religious laws in the Middle East and the role of international diplomacy in human rights cases.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Kelly Ng and BBC Sinhala Human Rights Watch The case sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka, spurring diplomatic efforts to seek clemency Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has set aside the death sentence handed to a Sri Lankan migrant worker over a comment he made on Facebook, Colombo's Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra said.
Anojan Sivarasa, 27, was sentenced to death in September after a Saudi appellate court convicted him of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad over his comment.
The case sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka , spurring diplomatic efforts to seek clemency.
Saudi Arabia's top court set aside the sentence on Wednesday, Hemachandra said in a post on Facebook, where he thanked the authorities and legal teams of both nations for their efforts.
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in