What goes on the internet stays on the internet. That’s a reality many of us seem to forget, or even ignore, until the moment we’re faced with unexpected repercussions — for better or for worse.
But the truth is, no one ever expects a comment on Facebook or a tweet on X to actually get us into trouble. After all, people say unhinged things online all the time. However, not every country or government is as lenient as one might think. Just this week, in Saudi Arabia, a man received capital punishment over a Facebook comment, sparking outrage online.
Anojan Sivarasa is a Sri Lankan man who is currently living and serving a sentence in Saudi Arabia
The reason? He made a comment on Facebook, criticizing the Prophet Muhammad
Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old man originally from Sri Lanka, was found guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. The situation stemmed from a comment that the 24-year-old made on Facebook, which has since been deleted but was reportedly shared with Saudi authorities, leading to his prosecution.
The comment was made during an online argument on the platform, after footage of a young Muslim man kicking a dog at a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka began spreading on social media — despite animal cruelty being an offense under Sri Lankan law. In the comment section, one user made an insulting remark about a Hindu god, to which Sivarasa responded with equally derogatory comments about the Prophet Muhammad.
Initially, the man was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine, but Saudi prosecutors filed an appeal for him to be tried under Sharia Law
After the comment sparked outrage, Anojan promptly deleted it and even posted a video apologizing for his words. However, the damage had already been done. Someone had taken a screenshot of the comment and shared it with Saudi Arabian authorities, as well as Anojan’s employer in Saudi Arabia. Under Saudi Arabia’s anti-cybercrime law, digital records, including third-party screenshots, are fully admissible as legal evidence in court.
Despite the 24-year-old’s attempt to erase his digital footprint, Saudi officials seized his devices nonetheless. Oddly enough, in an interview with the BBC, his brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, claimed the exposure came from people in Sri Lanka, not Saudi Arabia. “People in Saudi Arabia knew nothing about this matter,” he said. “It was individuals in Sri Lanka who sent emails to the company where my brother worked. I do not even wish to mention who those people are.”
On the basis of blasphemy, he received a sentence that would end his life, despite his family’s pleas
Anojan’s mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, in a desperate attempt to plead for her son’s life, also appealed to anyone who would listen, from Saudi authorities to Sri Lankan officials. “I plead for mercy for the wrongs committed by my son,” she said. “Please forgive him and send him back to us.”
The sentence wasn’t always this extreme, however. At first, Anojan was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 3 million Saudi riyals, which amounts to a little over $800,000. However, on September 17, Saudi prosecutors filed an appeal, seeking to have the man tried under Sharia law rather than cybercrime law. He was subsequently sentenced to capital punishment.
Sharia, which is Arabic for “the clear, beaten path,” is the fundamental religious framework of Islam. It guides how Muslims should live morally and ethically, covering matters of personal faith and social duties. A small number of countries incorporate traditional interpretations of Sharia, or Sharia law, into their civil and penal codes. Saudi Arabia is one of them, which helps explain its blasphemy laws.
However, the case has not gone unnoticed by Sri Lankan authorities or the public. The Sri Lankan government is reportedly pursuing all available options to seek a pardon, with Anojan’s family even meeting Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in September. A legal delegation has been deployed to Saudi Arabia, and dozens of petitions have been filed on the 24-year-old’s behalf. But only time will tell whether their efforts succeed.
This is what the world media tell about Anojin Sivarasa story
@bbcnews Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old migrant worker, is facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court found him guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad over a comment he made on Facebook. #AnojanSivarasa #SaudiArabia #BBCNews ♬ original sound – BBC News
Readers were absolutely outraged that something like insulting a religious figure still lands someone in prison
