Amnesty International has called on Saudi Arabia to overturn the death sentence imposed on Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker convicted of blasphemy over a Facebook comment.
Amnesty said Sivarasa was arrested on 1 July. On 27 July the Criminal Court in Al Ahsa sentenced him to five years in prison and a fine of SAR 3 million. On 17 September the Court of Appeal in the Eastern Region increased the sentence to death. Sivarasa has appealed.
According to Amnesty, he told the judge he wrote the comment in anger, deleted it and posted a video apology. The organisation also alleged that he was denied access to a lawyer from his arrest until his first sentencing.
Heba Morayef, Amnesty’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said no one should face prison or execution for expressing views, and called for his immediate release.
Many Sri Lankans work in Saudi Arabia, and the case is likely to be followed closely by migrant worker families.
