 |
| Sri Lanka's Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa (right) is seen consoling the parents of Anojan Sivarasa, a young migrant worker facing death in Saudi Arabia over a social media post allegedly amounting to blasphemy, on Sept. 21 in Colombo. |
(UCAN) Politicians across party lines have joined the family of a young Sri Lankan Tamil migrant in seeking a pardon for him from a death sentence in Saudi Arabia over a social media post allegedly amounting to blasphemy.
Anojan Sivarasa from Kalmunai, Batticaloa, in eastern Sri Lanka, was handed a death sentence on Sept. 17 by a Saudi Appellate court on charges of posting comments deemed insulting to Islam and Prophet Mohammed on the social media platform Facebook.
Sivarasa was earlier sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of three million Saudi Riyals (US$800,785) on July 15. An appeal was filed in late August to seek a reduced sentence.
However, the appellate court reportedly overturned the lower court's decision and imposed the death penalty.
On Sept. 21, Sivarasa’s family traveled 322 kilometers to meet Saudi diplomatic officials in the national capital, Colombo.
They also met Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who urged the Saudi royalty to intervene in the matter.
“I cordially urge the King of Saudi Arabia, with respect, to consider a common pardon for him [Sivarasa], considering the plight of his family,” he told reporters.
Premadasa promised the family that he would take all possible steps to secure Sivarasa’s release, including speaking with Saudi diplomatic officials based in Colombo and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Both Tamil and Muslim political parties launched signature campaigns on the weekend, calling for a pardon for Sivarasa on humanitarian grounds.
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the All Ceylon Makkal Congress, and the Sri Lanka Democratic Party (SLDP) called upon the Saudi government to consider a general pardon, since Sivarasa had apologized for his wrongdoing.
“Rather than approaching this incident as a punishment, we urge Saudi authorities to consider the compassion, harmony, and peace among communities as preached by Prophet Mohammed on this matter,” SLDP General Secretary Anwar M. Musthapa said.
Earlier, Sivarasa’s parents spoke with reporters at Kalmunai village before leaving for Colombo.
“We want our son back. He did not commit this crime intentionally. It was the result of an argument with a friend on Facebook,” his father, Thambirasa Sivarasa, said.
His mother, Rasamanickam Yogaladchumi, said their son was the sole breadwinner in the family.
“Please pardon my son and return him to me alive; or we all will have to die,” she pleaded with tears in her eyes.
The parents said Sivarasa got into an argument with a friend on Facebook, which led him to post a comment about the Prophet in response.
He later took down the offensive comment and also issued a public apology.
But a screenshot of his comment was translated into Arabic and sent to his employer and the authorities in Saudi Arabia, which led to his arrest.
Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, a parliamentarian from Batticaloa district, said he will raise the issue in Parliament this week and expressed concerns about the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry’s handling of the case and consular accountability in the appeal process.
The family also paid over 1.89 million rupees (US$5,700) in legal fees after being instructed to do so, Rasamanickam added.
He wanted the government to secure an experienced independent legal representation and "make diplomatic representations at the highest level in Saudi Arabia.” (Courtesy- UCAN)
Post a Comment