Saudi Arabia overturns death sentence of Sri Lankan man convicted over Facebook post

Supreme court order is seen as a major victory for Sri Lanka’s diplomatic efforts

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Saudi Arabia's supreme court has overturned the death penalty awarded to a Sri Lankan migrant worker for a Facebook comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

The case triggered a flurry of diplomatic efforts from the Sri Lankan government, which sent a four-member legal team to Riyadh to file a clemency appeal on Anojan's behalf.

Saudi Arabia's apex court set aside the sentence on Tuesday, Sri Lanka's deputy foreign minister Arun Hemachandra said on Facebook. “This follows sustained diplomatic and legal efforts by the government of Sri Lanka,” he added.

Anojan had been in Saudi Arabia for less than a year when he was arrested in July. It was not immediately clear whether Anojan would serve the previous sentence or there would be fresh legal proceedings against him.

Nalinda Jayatissa, the minister of mass media, previously stated that diplomatic efforts were also undertaken to seek a reduction in the sentence imposed on Anojan.

His ordeal began with an online debate caused by a viral video showing a man kicking a stray dog that had accompanied some Hindu pilgrims.

The Al-Ahsa Criminal Court initially sentenced him to five years in prison and fined him 3m Saudi riyals, about £600,000, under the country's cybercrime law.

The court also rejected an appeal filed on his behalf to reduce the sentence. But on 17 September, prosecutors filed their own appeal for Anojan to be tried under Sharia law. The court granted their request, leading to Anojan being handed the death penalty for blasphemy.