Sri Lankan Worker Sentenced to Death in Saudi Arabia Over Deleted Facebook Comment
A 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker, Anojan Sivarasa, has reportedly been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia after a Facebook comment was ruled offensive to Islam. He had deleted the comment and posted a public apology before his arrest in July. A Saudi court initially sentenced him to five years in prison and a fine under cybercrime laws. Prosecutors later appealed for the case to be heard under Sharia law, and an appellate court imposed the death penalty on September 17. His family says it has not heard from him since late September. Sri Lanka's government, lawyers and religious leaders are seeking clemency, while rights groups have raised concerns about the severe consequences of online speech and the legal challenges faced by migrant workers.
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