Amnesty International Calls on Saudi Authorities to Release Anojan

09-Oct-2026

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Amnesty International has called on Saudi Arabian authorities to immediately overturn the death sentence imposed on Sri Lankan migrant worker Sivarasa Anojan, who was convicted of blasphemy.

In a statement issued on Anojan’s case, the international human rights organisation said that the charges against him arose from his exercise of the right to freedom of expression. It called for his immediate and unconditional release.

Anojan, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan national working in Saudi Arabia, was arrested by Saudi authorities on 1 July after allegedly posting a comment on Facebook that was considered insulting to the Prophet Muhammad.

He told the judge that he had made the post in anger, subsequently deleted it, and expressed regret and apologised through a video message.

On 27 July, he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and fined three million Saudi riyals. Following an appeal, however, the sentence was increased to death on 17 September.

Amnesty International also noted that Anojan had been denied access to a lawyer from the time of his arrest through the initial stages of his sentencing.

The case has raised serious concerns about the application of the death penalty and the arbitrary nature of Saudi Arabia’s criminal justice system. The original five-year prison sentence was reportedly increased to a death sentence less than two months later, following an appeal.

“Even when a person’s views are considered insulting or offensive, no one should be imprisoned or face the death penalty merely for expressing an opinion,” the organisation said in substance.

Amnesty International maintained that Anojan had exercised his right to freedom of expression and described the death sentence imposed on him as tantamount to the arbitrary deprivation of his life.

It called on Saudi authorities to immediately overturn the death sentence, quash his conviction and release him unconditionally.

The organisation further warned that imposing the death penalty over a social media post set a dangerous precedent and demonstrated the authorities’ willingness to impose an extreme punishment for conduct that should not be criminalised.

It urged Saudi Arabia to introduce an immediate moratorium on executions as a first step towards the complete abolition of the death penalty.