“I plead for mercy for the wrongs committed by my son. Please forgive him and send him back to us.”
Speaking through tears, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi made a desperate plea for the life of her eldest son, Anojan Sivarasa. The 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.
The case has sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka, sparking widespread concern and civil society petitions across the country. Multiple political parties and government bodies have co-ordinated diplomatic efforts seeking clemency.
However, the family has had no updates on his condition since 28 September. The Sri Lankan government has instructed the family to refrain from making further statements while diplomatic efforts take place.
Saudi authorities have not published an official execution timeline, and it remains unclear when the sentence will 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 carried out.
Anojan was prosecuted after a dispute on social media following an incident that took place during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. In late June, footage of a young Muslim man kicking a dog following Hindu pilgrims circulated widely on social media, triggering religious arguments online.
During the exchange, a user posted derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity, leading Anojan to post a response in Tamil insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
Although Anojan promptly deleted his comment and posted an apology video, it was screenshotted and brought to the attention of his employer and Saudi officials, leading to his arrest in July.