Saudi Arabia urged to spare Sri Lankan man facing death sentence over Facebook comment
Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker, faces the death penalty in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court found him guilty of blasphemy over a Facebook comment. His family and Sri Lankan officials and religious leaders are seeking clemency.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker, faces the death penalty in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court found him guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad over a Facebook comment. BBC NewsN “The 24-year-old migrant worker is facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court found him guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad over a comment he made on Facebook.” Read at BBC News ↗ Hindustan TimesN “An appellate court in Saudi Arabia has reportedly found 24-year-old migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa guilty of blasphemy against Islam in a Facebook comment.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Centre · 1The case stems from a dispute on social media after footage circulated in late June of a young Muslim man kicking a dog following Hindu pilgrims in Sri Lanka; after a user posted derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity, Anojan replied in Tamil with a comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad. BBC NewsN “In late June, footage of a young Muslim man kicking a dog following Hindu pilgrims circulated widely on social media, triggering religious arguments online.”“a user posted derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity, leading Anojan to post a response in Tamil insulting the Prophet Muhammad.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 2He deleted the comment quickly and posted an apology video, but it had been screenshotted and reached his employer and Saudi officials, leading to his arrest in July; his devices were seized and his social media accounts deleted. BBC NewsN “Although Anojan promptly deleted his comment and posted an apology video, it was screenshotted and brought to the attention of his employer and Saudi officials, leading to his arrest in July.” Read at BBC News ↗ Hindustan TimesN “His devices were reportedly seized and his social media accounts were deleted.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Centre · 1His brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, told BBC Sinhala that people in Saudi Arabia knew nothing of the matter and that individuals in Sri Lanka emailed the company where Anojan worked. BBC NewsN “"People in Saudi Arabia knew nothing about this matter. It was individuals in Sri Lanka who sent emails to the company where my brother worked.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1The Al-Ahsa Criminal Court first sentenced him to five years in prison and a fine of 3m Saudi riyals (about $0.8m); according to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, an appeal to reduce the sentence was rejected. BBC NewsN “Anojan was initially sentenced to five years in prison as well as a fine of 3m Saudi riyals (about $0.8m; £0.6m) by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court.”“An appeal submitted on Anojan's behalf seeking to reduce his sentence was rejected, according to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 2On 17 September Saudi prosecutors appealed for him to be prosecuted under Sharia law rather than the cybercrime legislation, and the appellate court granted the request, raising the sentence to death. BBC NewsN “The case took a drastic turn on 17 September after Saudi prosecutors filed an appeal for Anojan to be prosecuted under Sharia law instead of the country's cybercrime legislation.” Read at BBC News ↗ Hindustan TimesN “prosecutors sought Anojan to be tried under Sharia law, a request the appellate court approved, paving the way for a death sentence.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Centre · 1Saudi authorities have not published an execution timeline, and the BBC notes that Saudi Arabia has a history of carrying out executions without warning families or foreign embassies. BBC NewsN “Saudi authorities have not published an official execution timeline, and it remains unclear when the sentence will be carried out.”“Saudi Arabia has a history of carrying out executions without warning families or foreign embassies, only informing relatives after the sentence has been carried out.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1His family has had no news of him since 28 September, and the Sri Lankan government has told them to refrain from public statements while diplomatic efforts continue; his mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, pleaded for mercy and asked that he be sent home. BBC NewsN “The Sri Lankan government has instructed the family to refrain from making further statements while diplomatic efforts take place.”“"I plead for mercy for the wrongs committed by my son. Please forgive him and send him back to us."” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 2President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met the family on 21 September and promised to seek a general pardon; Hindustan Times adds that he said he would personally seek clemency from the Saudi ruler, and that opposition leader Sajith Premadasa also met the family. BBC NewsN “His family met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat on 21 September.” Read at BBC News ↗ Hindustan TimesN “Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa also met Sivarasa's family.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Centre · 1Senior Buddhist and Hindu religious leaders delivered a memorandum urging state intervention, and a four-member Sri Lankan legal delegation is travelling to Saudi Arabia to meet his two defence law firms. BBC NewsN “Senior Buddhist leaders, the Mahanayake Theros of the Ramanna Nikaya and the Amarapura Maha Nikaya, together with Hindu religious leaders, handed over a memorandum to the Presidential Secretariat calling for urgent state intervention.”“a four-member Sri Lankan legal delegation is travelling to Saudi Arabia this week to meet Anojan's local defence lawyers.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1Citing PTI, Hindustan Times reports that Anojan is from Sri Lanka's Eastern Province, went to Saudi Arabia about nine months ago, and that Tamil Progressive Alliance leader Mano Ganesan urged the president to seek Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention. Hindustan TimesN “Anojan hails from Sri Lanka's Eastern Province and travelled to Saudi Arabia for employment about nine months ago.”“Tamil Progressive Alliance leader Mano Ganesan had urged Dissanayake to seek Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in the case” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Centre · 1The BBC places the case against earlier Saudi prosecutions for online speech: Mohammed Al Ghamdi was sentenced to death in July 2023 over social media comments, but that ruling was overturned and replaced with 30 years in prison, and executions for blasphemy are relatively rare in Saudi Arabia. BBC NewsN “Al Ghamdi's ruling was overturned, and he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, according to ALQST for human rights”“Executions for blasphemy are relatively rare compared with those for drug offences or murder handed down by courts in Saudi Arabia.” Read at BBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- The BBC leads with the family's plea and the diplomatic and religious response in Sri Lanka, with background on Saudi online-speech cases. Hindustan Times, a day later, explains how a pilgrimage dispute led to the sentence, relying largely on the BBC and PTI.
- Emphasis
- The family's appeal, Sri Lankan government and cross-religious efforts, the lack of an execution timeline, and how the case escalated from a five-year sentence to a death sentence.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither outlet reports a Saudi official comment on the case. Hindustan Times leaves out the BBC's context on migrant workers' vulnerabilities and the Al Ghamdi precedent.
- Charged language
- “sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka”“rattled Sri Lanka”“unexpected turn”
- For example
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“The case has sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka, sparking widespread concern and civil society petitions across the country.” — BBC News
“The case has rattled Sri Lanka, with diplomatic efforts underway to save him.” — Hindustan Times
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Anojan Sivarasa, 24, a Sri Lankan migrant worker, faces the death penalty in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court found him guilty of blasphemy over a Facebook comment.
- The comment followed an online row linked to a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka and a video of a Muslim man kicking a dog.
- He deleted the comment and apologised, but a screenshot reached his employer and Saudi authorities.
- He was first sentenced to five years and a 3m riyal fine; the sentence was raised after prosecutors sought trial under Sharia law.
- There is no official execution timeline and the family has had no news since 28 September.
- The Sri Lankan government is pursuing diplomatic efforts for clemency.
Where accounts differ
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Who alerted Saudi authorities
- Centre
- Only the family account is given: his brother says people in Sri Lanka emailed his employer, who notified Saudi authorities. Hindustan Times repeats this via the BBC; Saudi authorities' account is not reported.
Anojan Sivarasa person
Through his family, he is portrayed as having deleted the comment and apologised; his mother pleads for forgiveness and his return, and his brother says the matter was reported by people in Sri Lanka. He has not been heard from directly since 28 September.
“Anojan promptly deleted his comment and posted an apology video” — BBC News
“"I plead for mercy for the wrongs committed by my son. Please forgive him and send him back to us."” — BBC News
Saudi Arabia place
Saudi courts found him guilty and raised his sentence to death after prosecutors sought trial under Sharia law. Saudi authorities have published no execution timeline and are not quoted in either article.
“The appellate court granted the prosecution's request, increasing his sentence to the death penalty.” — BBC News
“Saudi authorities have not published an official execution timeline” — BBC News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Saudi Arabia urged to spare man sentenced to death over Facebook post
Sympathetic Opens with the mother's tearful plea and sets out the case, the diplomatic response and Saudi precedents on online speech.
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A Hindu pilgrimage, a video and 'blasphemy': Why Sri Lankan man is facing death penalty in Saudi
Neutral Explainer drawing on the BBC and PTI, tracing how a pilgrimage video and online row led to a possible death sentence, and adding Indian angle via Mano Ganesan's call for Modi's intervention.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 5 Oct 23:28 First BBC NewsN Saudi Arabia urged to spare man sentenced to death over Facebook post
- 6 Oct 17:05 +17h 37m Hindustan TimesN A Hindu pilgrimage, a video and 'blasphemy': Why Sri Lankan man is facing death penalty in Saudi
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.