President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced that the government will take steps to make a formal written diplomatic appeal to the King of Saudi Arabia seeking a pardon for Sri Lankan national Anojan Sivarasa, who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia.
The President made the announcement following a meeting with Sivarasa’s parents in Colombo.
During the meeting, President Dissanayake assured the family that the government was making every possible effort to secure a pardon for their son.
He explained that the government was intervening through both legal and diplomatic channels to address the situation.
The President said steps would be taken to formally appeal to the Saudi King in writing, seeking clemency for Sivarasa.
Sivarasa’s family has been seeking urgent intervention after being informed that his initial sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of 3 million Saudi riyals had been increased to a death sentence following an appeal.
The case stems from a social media comment reportedly deemed insulting to Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
The Foreign Ministry previously confirmed that it was engaging with Saudi authorities through diplomatic channels but had not formally confirmed the reported death sentence, pending receipt of the written court judgment. (Newswire)
