Saudi Court Sets Aside Sri Lankan Worker Death Sentence

Saudi Arabia's highest court has overturned a migrant worker's death sentence, opening the door for resentencing.

The Saudi Supreme Court has overturned the death penalty for Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa, who faced execution over a social media post. A Sri Lankan legal team had travelled to Riyadh to petition for clemency and challenge the original verdict. A new sentence is now expected to be issued in the case.

• The defenseA legal team dispatched by the Sri Lankan government actively lobbied authorities in Riyadh on behalf of the convicted worker.
• The backgroundThe initial capital sentence stemmed from a controversial comment published on the social media platform Facebook.