A 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker is facing execution in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court sentenced him to d.eath over a Facebook comment
The comment is deemed blasphemous, according to a report by BBC.
Anojan Sivarasa was initially sentenced to five years in prison and fined three million Saudi riyals under Saudi Arabia’s cybercrime law, but his case took a drastic turn on September 17 after prosecutors appealed for him to be tried under Sharia law.
The appellate court subsequently increased his sentence to d.eath.
Humanists UK has called on the British Government to urgently intervene in the case.
The organisation launched a petition on Wednesday seeking government action to help save the life of Anojan Sivarasa, who was convicted after posting an insulting comment about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad during an online religious argument.
Sivarasa had reportedly become involved in a religious argument on social media after another user posted derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity.
He responded with a comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad but deleted it within minutes and later apologised in a video.
The comment was nevertheless screenshotted and reportedly sent to his employer and Saudi authorities, leading to his arrest in July.
His family has not heard from him since September 28, while Saudi authorities have not announced an execution date.
The case has prompted fresh calls for intervention, with Humanists UK launching a petition on Wednesday urging the British Government to press Saudi Arabia to overturn the sentence.
Humanists UK Chief Executive, Andrew Copson, said the British Foreign Secretary should raise the case with Saudi authorities “at the highest level”.
“Everyone has the right to speak freely about religion, and no one should ever face punishment for doing so, much less be put to d.eath. And yet Anojan Sivarasa has been condemned to d!e because of a post made on Facebook,” Copson said.
He also urged the UK Government to use its influence to push for the repeal of blasphemy laws in countries where they remain in force.
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