A desperate plea for mercy has emerged from Sri Lanka as the family of a 24-year-old migrant worker facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia appeals for his life to be spared.
Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, the mother of Anojan Sivarasa, broke down in tears while appealing to Saudi authorities to forgive her son and return him to his family.
“I plead for mercy for the wrongs committed by my son. Please forgive him and send him back to us.”
Anojan, a Sri Lankan migrant worker in Saudi Arabia, was initially sentenced to five years in prison and fined three million Saudi riyals after being prosecuted over a social media comment deemed insulting to Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
His case took a dramatic turn on September 17 when Saudi prosecutors appealed for him to be prosecuted under Sharia law rather than under the country’s cybercrime legislation. An appellate court subsequently increased his punishment to the death penalty.
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The case reportedly began following an online dispute linked to an incident during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. Videos of a Muslim man kicking a dog circulated on social media, triggering heated religious exchanges.
During the arguments, another social media user allegedly posted derogatory comments about a Hindu deity. Anojan responded in Tamil with a comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
According to his family, Anojan quickly deleted the comment and subsequently issued an apology through a video. However, a screenshot of the post was reportedly circulated to his employer and Saudi authorities.
His employer subsequently notified Saudi authorities, leading to his arrest in July. His electronic devices were seized, while his social media accounts were reportedly deleted.
Anojan’s brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, told BBC Sinhala that the matter was brought to the attention of the company by individuals in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan government has since intensified diplomatic efforts to secure clemency for the young migrant worker.
Anojan’s family met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat on September 21. The president reportedly assured the family that the government would make every effort to seek a pardon and instructed diplomatic officials to engage Saudi authorities.
Religious leaders have also joined the campaign.
Senior Buddhist leaders from the Ramanna Nikaya and Amarapura Maha Nikaya, alongside Hindu religious leaders, submitted a memorandum to the Presidential Secretariat urging urgent government intervention.
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A four-member Sri Lankan legal delegation is also travelling to Saudi Arabia to meet the lawyers representing Anojan and discuss possible legal options.
According to President’s Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma, the delegation intends to meet lawyers from the two Saudi law firms handling the case and determine what further steps can be taken.
But while diplomatic and legal efforts continue, the family says it has been left increasingly anxious over Anojan’s whereabouts and wellbeing.
Communication with him reportedly stopped in late September.
His brother said the family informed the Sri Lankan embassy after Anojan failed to make contact, but they were still waiting for an update.
Saudi authorities have not publicly announced an execution date, leaving the family uncertain about what may happen next.
The case has also renewed concerns from international human rights organizations over severe punishments imposed in Saudi Arabia for online speech.
In a separate case, Saudi national Mohammed Al Ghamdi, a retired teacher, was sentenced to death in 2023 over social media activity. His death sentence was later overturned and replaced with a 30-year prison term, according to rights organization ALQST.
Rights advocates have also highlighted the vulnerability of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, where language barriers, unfamiliarity with the legal system and limited access to legal representation can create additional challenges.
Saudi Arabia is home to more than 10 million foreign workers, according to the International Organization for Migration.
For Anojan’s family, however, the issue is now deeply personal.
As diplomatic officials, lawyers and religious leaders work to secure a possible pardon, his mother continues to wait for the outcome of the international effort to save her son’s life.
Her message remains simple and emotional:
Forgive my son and bring him home.
