Anojan Sivarasa
Sri Lanka’s International Ministry says it’s offering diplomatic help to Anojan Sivarasa amid unconfirmed stories {that a} Saudi enchantment court docket has elevated the Sri Lankan nationwide’s five-year jail sentence to a dying sentence.
The Ministry of International Affairs, International Employment and Tourism mentioned on September 18, 2026, that it was carefully following Sivarasa’s case as he undergoes judicial proceedings in Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry mentioned the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh, in coordination with the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Colombo, was persevering with to watch developments. It added that Sri Lanka remained engaged with the related Saudi authorities by diplomatic channels and was taking steps to safeguard Sivarasa’s pursuits and supply him with all doable help.
The Ministry’s official assertion didn’t verify stories {that a} dying sentence had been imposed.
Former International Affairs Minister Ali Sabry additionally mentioned the reported dying sentence had not been confirmed by the International Ministry and that the formal written judgment was nonetheless awaited. He expressed concern over stories that Sivarasa’s unique five-year jail sentence had been elevated to capital punishment.
Sabry mentioned the case associated to an offensive social media remark and argued that imposing the dying penalty for such an act could be disproportionate. He additionally referred to stories that Sivarasa had eliminated the remark inside minutes and later issued a public video apology.
Calling for mercy, Sabry urged Saudi authorities to grant Sivarasa clemency. He additionally known as on the Sri Lankan Authorities to safe efficient authorized help and pursue pressing diplomatic intervention on the highest degree, saying Sivarasa needs to be given a chance to return to his household and rebuild his life.
In the meantime, MP Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam mentioned he plans to boost the case in Parliament subsequent week and questioned the International Ministry’s dealing with of the enchantment and authorized illustration offered to Sivarasa.
In keeping with Rasamanickam, Sivarasa had initially been sentenced to 5 years in jail and fined SAR 3 million earlier than an enchantment reportedly resulted in a dying sentence.
Rasamanickam mentioned the Sri Lankan Embassy’s authorized recommendation had reportedly assessed the probabilities of a profitable enchantment or a discount of the sentence as “extraordinarily low.” Nonetheless, he mentioned Sivarasa’s household proceeded with the enchantment after assembly Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra and receiving recommendation on the matter.
The MP mentioned the household subsequently paid Rs. 1,890,766 in requested authorized charges into an account recognized with the Secretary to the Ministry of International Affairs.
He additional mentioned paperwork confirmed that the enchantment had been filed on August 24, 2026, whereas a Ministry letter forwarding a replica of the enchantment to the household was dated September 16. In keeping with Rasamanickam, the household mentioned it had requested the doc earlier.
Rasamanickam additionally mentioned the enchantment recognized Legal professional Adlan Abdullah Al-Subaie as counsel, whereas the household claimed that one other lawyer had truly appeared in court docket and that that they had not been provided that lawyer’s identification or contact particulars.
He questioned who chosen and instructed the lawyer who appeared in court docket, how the authorized charges had been disbursed, why the household didn’t obtain the enchantment earlier, and what accountability the Ministry assumed after the household proceeded with the enchantment and paid the requested charges.
Rasamanickam mentioned he intends to hunt solutions in Parliament over what he described as doable shortcomings within the consular and diplomatic dealing with of the case. Nonetheless, he pressured that the speedy precedence needs to be defending Sivarasa’s life.
He known as on the Authorities to safe skilled impartial authorized illustration, pursue any remaining authorized treatments and clemency procedures, and make diplomatic representations on the highest acceptable degree in Saudi Arabia.
Separate stories citing International Ministry sources mentioned Sivarasa’s lawyer had verbally knowledgeable the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh that the sentence had reportedly been elevated to capital punishment. Nonetheless, the Embassy was nonetheless awaiting the formal written judgment from the Saudi judicial authorities.
