Sri Lankan worker's Saudi death sentence faces Oct. 17 appeal deadline
A Saudi court has sentenced Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old worker from Sri Lanka, to death for a Facebook comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad. He deleted the post fast, but now his life is at stake, and Sri Lanka has sent lawyers to fight for him. His appeal to Saudi Arabia's top court is due by Oct. 17.
Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old migrant worker from Kalmunai in eastern Sri Lanka, faces a death sentence in Saudi Arabia over a Facebook comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad. He deleted the comment and posted an apology video, but he was arrested in July. His appeal to the Saudi Supreme Court must be filed by Oct. 17.
Sri Lankan lawyers are in Saudi Arabia to work on that appeal with two Saudi law firms. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told parliament on Wednesday that the lawyers were expected to file by Thursday. The reports cited here do not yet confirm that the appeal has been filed. Saudi Arabia has not announced a date for the execution, and its foreign ministry did not quickly reply to The Independent.
His mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, made a tearful plea to the BBC. "Please forgive him and send him back to us," she said. The family has had no news of him since Sept. 28.
Accounts of a recent prison fight differ. Herath told parliament that Saudi prison officials said a cellmate left scratches and fingernail marks on his face, and that no knife or other weapon was used. Embassy staff were not allowed to see him, so that account comes from Saudi officials. His family and opposition MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam say he was stabbed in the head. He has since been moved to another cell.
The case began in late June. A video of a man kicking a dog that followed Hindu pilgrims in Sri Lanka set off heated religious arguments online. After another user insulted a Hindu god, Sivarasa replied in Tamil with his own insult. People in Sri Lanka sent screenshots to his employer, who told Saudi authorities.
A criminal court in Al-Ahsa first gave him five years in prison and a fine of 3 million riyals, about $800,000, under Saudi Arabia's cybercrime law. Prosecutors then asked to try him under Islamic law instead. On Sept. 17, an appeals court raised the sentence to death.
Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met the family on Sept. 21 and promised to seek a pardon. Saudi officials have signaled they will not back outside pleas while the case is before the Supreme Court, so a plea for mercy to the Saudi king is expected to come later. Senior Buddhist and Hindu leaders in Sri Lanka have also called for mercy.
What we know: A Saudi appeals court sentenced Sivarasa to death on Sept. 17, and his Supreme Court appeal is due by Oct. 17.
What we don't: Whether the appeal has been filed, how badly he was hurt in prison, and when Saudi Arabia might act.
Where outlets agree The BBC and The Independent both report that the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court first sentenced Sivarasa to five years in prison and a 3 million riyal fine under Saudi Arabia's cybercrime law.
Where they differ The Morning says a six-member Sri Lankan legal team traveled to Saudi Arabia, while the Daily FT says the delegation has four members.