On 14 October 2026, Saudi Arabia’s [Supreme Court](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_Saudi_Arabia) announced that it had set aside the death penalty previously handed to Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa for a Facebook comment that authorities said insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
**Key facts**
- Sivarasa, 27, was originally convicted of blasphemy by a Saudi appellate court in September and sentenced to death.
- He had also received a five‑year prison term and a fine of three million Saudi riyals (about $0.8 million).
- Sri Lanka’s Deputy Foreign Minister [Arun Hemachandra](https://www.mfa.gov.lk/) thanked Saudi and Sri Lankan legal teams for their efforts in a Facebook post.
- Human Rights Watch’s senior Saudi Arabia researcher Joey Shea urged the kingdom to stop using “abusive laws” to impose extreme sentences for speech‑related offences.
What triggered the legal case?
In late June, a video showing a Muslim man kicking a dog after Hindu pilgrims sparked a heated online debate. During the exchange, a user posted a derogatory comment about a Hindu deity, prompting Sivarasa to reply in Tamil with an insult aimed at the Prophet Muhammad. He quickly deleted the remark and posted an apology video, but a screenshot reached his employer and Saudi authorities, leading to his arrest in July.
What was the original punishment?
The Al‑Ahsa Criminal Court sentenced Sivarasa to five years in prison and imposed a fine of three million riyals, in addition to the death sentence for blasphemy. The severe penalties reflected Saudi Arabia’s strict laws on religious defamation.
How did diplomatic efforts influence the outcome?
Sri Lankan lawmaker Faizer Mustafa, who has been negotiating with Saudi officials, confirmed to BBC Sinhala that the death sentence had been overturned and that the parties were reviewing the Supreme Court’s latest ruling. International human‑rights organisations also campaigned for clemency.
What is Sivarasa’s current status?
It remains unclear whether further legal proceedings will follow or how long Sivarasa will remain in detention. His family reported that they have not had direct contact with him since 28 September.
The reversal marks a rare instance of Saudi judicial leniency in a case that attracted global attention and highlighted the vulnerability of migrant workers in the kingdom.