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Legal Team Departs for Saudi Arabia to Save Migrant's Life
6 Oct
Summary
- Four-member legal delegation travels to Saudi Arabia for appeal.
- Appeal is against death sentence for Sri Lankan migrant Anojan Sivarasa.
- Government pursuing legal and diplomatic avenues for release.
A crucial legal mission to Saudi Arabia commenced on October 6, 2026, as a four-member Sri Lankan delegation departed to contest the death sentence of migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa. The delegation includes senior legal figures tasked with presenting an appeal before the Saudi Supreme Court. Meetings are scheduled for October 7 and 8 with local legal representatives to finalize case documents.
This appeal follows a dramatic escalation of Sivarasa's sentence. Initially receiving five years imprisonment and a fine for a social media post, his case took a grave turn when an appellate court imposed the death penalty. In parallel to the legal strategy, Sri Lanka's government is engaging diplomatic efforts, with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake preparing to send a clemency appeal directly to the King of Saudi Arabia.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with Saudi authorities. Religious leaders have also voiced concern, submitting a memorandum to the President urging state intervention to secure Sivarasa's release. This multi-pronged approach underscores the urgency of the situation as Sri Lanka seeks to overturn the severe sentence.
