Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old Ghanaian migrant worker, has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for making a derogatory comment about the Prophet Muhammad on Facebook. His mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, has made a desperate plea for mercy, asking for her son to be forgiven and returned home. The case has sparked widespread concern and civil society petitions in Ghana and internationally.
According to reports, Anojan was prosecuted after a dispute on social media following an incident that took place during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. Footage of a young Muslim man kicking a dog following Hindu pilgrims circulated widely on social media, triggering religious arguments online. Anojan responded to a derogatory remark about a Hindu deity by posting a comment insulting the Prophet Muhammad, which was screenshotted and brought to the attention of his employer and Saudi officials.
Anojan was initially sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of 3m Saudi riyals (about $0.8m; £0.6m) by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court. However, an appeal submitted on his behalf seeking to reduce his sentence was rejected. The case took a drastic turn on 17 September after Saudi prosecutors filed an appeal for Anojan to be prosecuted under Sharia law instead of the country's cybercrime legislation, which resulted in his sentence being increased to death.
The Ghanaian government has instructed the family to refrain from making further statements while diplomatic efforts take place. Multiple political parties and government bodies have coordinated diplomatic efforts seeking clemency. A four-member Ghanaian legal delegation is traveling to Saudi Arabia to meet Anojan's local defense lawyers and discuss the case.
Human rights organizations have raised concerns regarding severe sentences for online speech in Saudi Arabia. In July 2023, Mohammed Al Ghamdi, a retired Saudi school teacher, was sentenced to death over his comments on multiple social media platforms. Although his ruling was overturned, and he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, the case highlights the risks faced by migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.
There are over 10 million foreign workers in Saudi Arabia, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Rights groups emphasize that low-wage migrant workers face distinct vulnerabilities in the Saudi legal system due to language barriers and lack of proper legal representation. Executions for blasphemy are relatively rare compared with those for drug offenses or murder handed down by courts in Saudi Arabia.
The Ghanaian government has confirmed it is taking all available steps to assist Anojan. His family met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat on 21 September, and the president assured them that the government would spare no effort to obtain a general pardon for him. The case has brought together cross-religious support, with senior Buddhist leaders and Hindu religious leaders handing over a memorandum to the Presidential Secretariat calling for urgent state intervention.
Key points
- The Ghanaian government is taking diplomatic efforts to seek clemency for Anojan Sivarasa.
- Anojan's sentence was increased to death after Saudi prosecutors filed an appeal for him to be prosecuted under Sharia law.
- Human rights organizations have raised concerns regarding severe sentences for online speech in Saudi Arabia.
