Sri Lankan President seeks Saudi King's pardon for youth sentenced to death over Facebook post
Edited By WION Video Desk
Published: Sep 22, 2026, 10:20 IST | Updated: Sep 22, 2026, 10:20 IST
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has pledged to personally seek clemency from Saudi Arabia's king for Anojan Sivarasa, a young Tamil migrant worker reportedly sentenced to death over a Facebook comment deemed insulting to Islam. Sivarasa, originally handed five years in prison and a hefty fine, saw his sentence escalate to death after an appeal, his family says. The case stems from a heated online dispute during a Hindu pilgrimage. Sri Lanka's government is now pursuing both legal and diplomatic channels to save him.
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