A Sri Lankan Tamil migrant worker, Sivarasa Anojan, is facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia after an appeal against a five-year prison sentence over a Facebook post deemed insulting to Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. The reported ruling has triggered urgent calls for diplomatic intervention from Sri Lankan politicians, activists and the worker’s family.
The latest development marks a dramatic escalation in a case that had already placed Anojan behind bars and saddled him with a SAR 3 million fine. Sri Lankan authorities had earlier been pursuing legal options after the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court sentenced him to five years in prison.
However, reports published on September 17-18 say the appeal resulted in a death sentence rather than a reduction of the original punishment. The reported appellate ruling has not yet been independently confirmed through an official Saudi judicial announcement, and Sri Lankan MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has specifically described the death sentence as a reported development while urging the government to act immediately.
An Eelam Tamil Hindu migrant worker, Sivarasa Anojan, has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia after Sri Lankan Muslims reported his Facebook comment to authorities. Anojan was angered by a Muslim youth in his hometown kicking a dog that accompanied Hindu pilgrims. pic.twitter.com/UB90o8OItD
— Rooftop Tiger (@RooftopTiger) September 17, 2026
A social-media dispute that spiralled into a criminal case
The case reportedly began with a highly emotional dispute in Kalmunai, in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, surrounding the Kataragama Pada Yatra pilgrimage.
According to accounts cited by Sri Lankan politicians and activists, Hindu devotees undertaking the pilgrimage were accompanied by a stray dog known as “Subramaniyam.” The animal was allegedly kicked or assaulted by a Muslim youth, triggering anger and heated debate on social media. Anojan became involved in the online exchanges and allegedly posted a comment directed at the Prophet Muhammad that Saudi authorities subsequently treated as religiously offensive.
Reports say the Facebook post was subsequently deleted and that Anojan publicly apologised for the remarks. His supporters have maintained that the comment was made in the heat of an emotionally charged online dispute rather than as part of a deliberate campaign against Islam.
But screenshots of the original post had reportedly circulated before it was removed. Complaints were subsequently made to Saudi authorities and, according to reports, to his employer. Anojan was then arrested in Saudi Arabia.
Five years in prison and SAR 3 million fine
The first court ruling came from the Criminal Court in Al-Ahsa. According to a July 31 letter from Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Ministry cited by Newswire, Anojan was sentenced to:
- Five years’ imprisonment
- A SAR 3 million fine
- Confiscation of the electronic device involved in the case
- Closure of the social-media account connected to the offence
The ministry indicated that an appeal could be filed within 30 days. It also reported that legal advice obtained by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh assessed the prospects of a successful appeal or sentence reduction as “extremely low.”
For Anojan’s family, the financial burden was enormous. His parents said they were struggling to meet both the court-imposed fine and the legal expenses required to challenge the conviction. They subsequently appealed to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for assistance and humanitarian intervention.
Appeal brings an even more serious outcome
Jaffna Monitor reported on September 17 that, according to Sri Lankan activist Rajkumar Rajeevkanth, the appeal had resulted in a death sentence. The report said the activist had confirmed the development after following the case.
Newswire on September 18 also reported that Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam had called for immediate action to save Anojan’s life. The MP said he planned to raise the matter in Parliament and questioned aspects of the handling of the appeal.
Another Sri Lankan Tamil politician, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, has also called for urgent legal and diplomatic intervention, urging the Sri Lankan government to engage Saudi authorities over the reported death sentence.
Questions over the appeal process
The case has also opened a second front in Colombo over how the appeal was handled.
According to MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam’s account, the family pursued the appeal following advice from Sri Lanka’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra, despite the Sri Lankan Embassy’s earlier assessment that the prospects of success were “extremely low.” Rasamanickam said the family had paid approximately Rs. 1.89 million in legal fees into an account associated with the Foreign Ministry secretary after being instructed to do so.
The MP has called for experienced independent legal representation and immediate use of every remaining legal and diplomatic avenue.
These claims concern the handling of the case and have not been independently established in the available reporting. The immediate priority, according to those campaigning on Anojan’s behalf, is to ensure that the reported capital sentence is legally reviewed and that every available avenue for clemency is pursued.
Family makes desperate appeal
Behind the legal and diplomatic battle is a family in Kalmunai confronting the possibility of losing its son. Anojan’s parents had previously told the UN that their son was the family’s main breadwinner and that they were facing severe financial hardship. Their earlier appeal sought assistance to challenge the five-year sentence and secure his return to Sri Lanka.
With the reported escalation to a death sentence, calls for intervention have intensified.
