Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence awarded to Sri Lankan Tamil migrant worker Sivarasa Anojan, bringing major relief to his family after weeks of uncertainty. Sri Lanka’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra confirmed that the ruling was delivered on October 13 following sustained diplomatic efforts by the Sri Lankan government. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake welcomed the decision and thanked the Saudi authorities, diplomats, and legal teams from both countries for their role in securing the favourable outcome. The legal proceedings, however, are expected to continue until the case is fully resolved.

The controversy began after an online argument on social media in late June. The dispute followed the circulation of a video showing a man kicking a dog accompanying Hindu pilgrims in Sri Lanka, which triggered heated exchanges between Hindu and Muslim users. During the argument, Anojan posted a comment in Tamil about Prophet Muhammad after another user allegedly made derogatory remarks about Lord Shiva. Although he later deleted the comment and publicly apologised through a video, screenshots were reportedly forwarded to his employer in Saudi Arabia and subsequently reached the authorities, leading to his arrest in July.

Initially, the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court sentenced Anojan to five years in prison and imposed a fine under Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Cyber Crime Law. However, prosecutors appealed for a stricter punishment under Sharia law, and the Court of Appeal later replaced the prison sentence with the death penalty on charges of blasphemy. Following an appeal filed before the Supreme Court on October 11, the highest court set aside the death sentence. Human Rights Watch had criticised the earlier verdict, calling it a disproportionate punishment for a social media comment, while Sri Lanka’s government, legal representatives, religious leaders, and lawmakers had collectively appealed for mercy and diplomatic intervention.