A Facebook comment written in anger, deleted soon afterwards and followed by a public apology, had brought a Sri Lankan migrant worker within reach of execution in Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, the kingdom’s Supreme Court set aside his death sentence, ending an immediate threat to his life after months of legal proceedings and diplomatic intervention by Sri Lanka.

For Anojan Sivarasa, a young Tamil man from Kalmunai in eastern Sri Lanka’s Ampara district, the decision marked an extraordinary reversal. A social media argument that began over a dog accompanying Hindu pilgrims had led first to imprisonment and a substantial fine, then to a death sentence for insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake welcomed the ruling, saying it brought “immense relief to Anojan, his family, and all Sri Lankans who have followed his case with deep concern.”The outcome, he said, “reflects the value of patient diplomacy, respect for the legal processes of a friendly nation, and the tireless work of those who stood by a Sri Lankan citizen abroad.”“No Sri Lankan who leaves our shores in search of a livelihood should ever feel that they stand alone,” Dissanayake said, promising continued government assistance to Sivarasa and his family until the remaining legal proceedings conclude.

Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra announced the decision on Wednesday, describing it as “a major relief.”“On October 13, 2026, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia set aside the judgment imposing the death penalty on Anojan Sivarasa,” he said. “This follows sustained diplomatic and legal efforts by the Government of Sri Lanka.”Hemachandra thanked the Saudi government, Sri Lanka’s ambassador, Foreign Ministry officials, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, and the Sri Lankan and Saudi legal teams.

The case began far from Saudi Arabia, in an argument that unfolded on Sri Lankan social media in June. A group of Hindu devotees was undertaking a pilgrimage to the Kataragama temple, accompanied by a dog named Subramaniam. When footage circulated showing a Muslim youth kicking the animal near Kalmunai, the incident provoked public anger and police complaints. The youth was arrested, later released on bail, and apologised.

The argument, however, continued online. After another user reportedly posted derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity, Sivarasa responded in Tamil with a comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

He deleted the comment and posted a video apology. But a screenshot survived, eventually reaching his employer and Saudi authorities.

In a case involving a migrant worker thousands of kilometres from home, the deleted words proved considerably more durable than the apology.

Sivarasa, who had travelled to Saudi Arabia for employment in September 2025, was arrested in July. Amnesty International said he told a judge that he had written the comment in a moment of anger and subsequently expressed remorse.

On July 27, the Criminal Court in Al-Ahsa sentenced him to five years in prison and a fine of three million Saudi riyals, approximately US$800,000, under the kingdom’s Anti-Cybercrime Law.

The punishment became far more severe on September 17, when the Court of Appeal in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region increased the sentence to death, treating the offence as one carrying a fixed punishment under its interpretation of Islamic law.

According to Amnesty, Sivarasa had been denied access to a lawyer from his arrest until his initial sentencing. His family in Sri Lanka appealed for intervention. His brother told Tamil media earlier this month that Sivarasa had been transferred to a prison where executions were carried out. The family subsequently met President Dissanayake, who assured them that the government would pursue efforts to save him.

Sri Lanka dispatched a specialised legal delegation to Saudi Arabia, including President’s Counsel Azad Navavi, Faiszer Musthapha, lawyer Upul Kumarapperuma, and attorney Hafeel Farisz. Ambassador Amir Ajwad also played a leading diplomatic role. Working with Saudi lawyers, the delegation prepared an appeal to the Supreme Court, filed on October 11. Two days later, the court set aside the death sentence.

Musthapha, who is also a Sri Lankan lawmaker, told Sinhala media that the legal team was examining the ruling. The precise consequences for Sivarasa’s original conviction, possible imprisonment, and continued detention remain unclear.

The ruling came days after Amnesty International demanded that Saudi Arabia overturn the conviction and release Sivarasa unconditionally. “No one should be imprisoned, let alone face execution simply for expressing their views, even if these are deemed insulting or offensive,” Heba Morayef, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa director, said.

The organisation noted that Saudi Arabia had executed at least 175 people this year as of October 5, including 94 foreign nationals. It also criticised the kingdom’s lack of a comprehensive written penal code, which leaves many offences and punishments to judicial interpretation.

For Sivarasa, the Supreme Court’s decision removes the most immediate danger. It does not yet establish when he can leave detention or return home. His case was also about the distance between an ordinary online quarrel and the consequences it can acquire under another country’s legal system.