Speaking through tears, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi appealed for the life of her eldest son, Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old migrant worker. An appellate court in Saudi Arabia found him guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad over a comment he made on Facebook.
The case has caused widespread concern in Sri Lanka, where multiple political parties and government bodies have coordinated diplomatic efforts seeking clemency. However, the family has received no updates on Anojan's condition since 28 September. The Sri Lankan government has instructed the family to refrain from making further statements while the diplomatic effort is under way.
Saudi authorities have not published an official execution timeline, and it remains unclear when the sentence would be carried out. Saudi Arabia has a history of carrying out executions without warning families or foreign embassies, only informing relatives after the sentence has been completed.
The case stems from a social media dispute that followed an incident during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. Footage of a young Muslim man kicking a dog in front of Hindu pilgrims circulated widely online, triggering religious arguments. During the exchange, Anojan posted a response in Tamil insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
Although he promptly deleted the comment and posted an apology video, screenshots were brought to the attention of his employer and Saudi officials, leading to his arrest in July. His personal devices were subsequently seized and his social media accounts deleted by Saudi officials.
His brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, told the BBC that people in Sri Lanka, not Saudi Arabia, had contacted the company where Anojan worked. The company then notified Saudi authorities, who registered a case against him. Anojan was initially sentenced to five years in prison and a fine before the appellate court imposed the death sentence.