Sri Lanka, Oct. 15 — Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra confirmed that on October 13, 2026, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has set aside the Court of Appeal judgement imposing the death penalty imposed on Sri Lankan employee in Saudi Arabia, Anojan Sivarasa and therefore, the death sentence under that judgement has been set aside.Sri Lanka Travel
In an official statement released by the Ministry yesterday, he stated that this significant move has been achieved as a result of continued diplomatic and legal interventions pursued by the Sri Lankan Government. He expressed gratitude and thanked the Saudi Arabian Government for the cooperation and support provided, on behalf of the Sri Lankan Government, and also expressed respect for the Saudi Arabian Judiciary.
He stated that Anojan Sivarasa, a Sri Lankan employed in Saudi Arabia was initially sentenced to five years imprisonment over a social media comment. Subsequently, the Court of Appeal imposed the death penalty on him.
The Deputy Minister stated that the Sri Lankan Government, acting under the guidance of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath, pursued all available diplomatic, consular and legal avenues to secure relief for the Sri Lankan national.
According to Hemachandra, Anojan Sivarasa’s family met both the President and the Foreign Minister during the course of the case, while Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and embassy officials engaged extensively with senior Saudi authorities.
“A special Sri Lankan legal delegation travelled to Saudi Arabia and worked closely alongside Saudi legal professionals in pursuing the appeal before the Saudi Supreme Court. The Government also undertook to bear the necessary legal expenditures associated with the case, including reimbursing legal costs previously incurred by Anojan Sivarasa’s family,” Hemachandra stated.
The Deputy Minister also appreciated the commitment shown by the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the Secretary and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau Chairman and other officials, as well as the Sri Lankan and Saudi Arabian legal teams, the Attorney General’s Department and everyone else who contributed to these efforts.
The legal team included MP Faiszer Musthapha PC, Sri Lanka’s Consul General in Jeddah Mohamed Laffar, Additional Solicitor General Azard Navavi, President’s Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma, Attorney Hafeel Farisz and Coordinating Secretary Mohamed Riyasdeen Silmy.
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