An appeal seeking to commute the death sentence imposed on Sri Lankan national Anojan Sivarasa is scheduled to be filed before the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia today.
An official delegation comprising Additional Solicitor General and President’s Counsel Asad Navavi, along with President’s Counsels Upul Kumarapperuma and Faiszer Musthapha, departed for Saudi Arabia on October 6 to discuss the case with Saudi law firms.
The delegation held further discussions with Saudi legal firms yesterday regarding the filing of the appeal.
If the appeal does not produce a favourable outcome, a petition is also expected to be submitted to the King of Saudi Arabia, seeking intervention in the case.
Meanwhile, the Chief Prelates of the Ramanya Maha Nikaya and the Amarapura Maha Nikaya recently submitted a memorandum to the President, requesting government intervention to secure Sivarasa’s release.
Sivarasa was initially sentenced by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court in Saudi Arabia to five years in prison and fined three million Saudi Riyals over a statement he made on social media.
However, following an appeal by his legal team, Saudi legal authorities submitted a counter-request to the court. After considering the appeals, the court subsequently imposed the death penalty.
