A 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker, Anojan Sivarasa, has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for blasphemy over a Facebook comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

Sivarasa deleted the comment and posted an apology, but screenshots were sent to his employer, leading to his arrest in July.

He was initially sentenced to five years in prison and fined 3 million Saudi riyals, but prosecutors appealed for the case to be handled under Sharia law, and an appellate court imposed the death penalty on 17 September.

Sri Lanka is seeking clemency, with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake promising to pursue a pardon and a legal delegation travelling to Saudi Arabia.

Sivarasa's family says it has received no news from him since 28 September, while Saudi authorities have announced no execution date.

Source: BBC