Sri Lankan Tamil migrant worker gets death sentence in Saudi Arabia, help sought from India

A Hindu group by the name Hindu Munnani has sought help from Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission at Nungambakkam in Chennai, to save Sivarasa Anojan, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker facing a death sentence in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court reportedly increased his punishment over a Facebook comment that was deemed insulting to Islam and Prophet Muhammad. Help is also been sought from the Indian government in the matter.

Members of the Hindu Munnani submitted a petition at the Deputy High Commission office at Nungambakkam seeking revocation of the sentence, reported news agency ANI.

"We are going to meet the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner and submit a petition. An Islamist in Sri Lanka had posted derogatory content against Lord Shiva on social media. In response, Anojan, who is a Tamil-speaking Sri Lankan, questioned it and the exchange continued. He raised a question about the Prophet. Someone complained to the Saudi government in Arabic about Anojan's post," said the Hindu group in a statement.

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They also said that an apology was made by Anojan but he was imprisoned a fine imposed on him.

"Anojan also tendered a public apology. Despite that, he was sentenced to imprisonment with a fine of Rs 7 crore. Later, the higher court awarded death sentence and a fine of Rs 10 crore. The sentence should be stayed," said the group.

Anojan was sentenced on July 15 by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment and a fine of three million Saudi Riyals, the maximum punishment available under the first paragraph of Article 6 of Saudi Arabia's Anti-Cyber Crime Law. The five-year sentence was enhanced to a death sentence by the top court in Saudi Arabia about three days ago.

(With input from agencies)