Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has officially confirmed in Parliament that Sri Lankan national Sivarasa Anojan has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, resolving an important verification gap surrounding the case.
Herath said the death sentence followed an appeal by the Saudi prosecution against an earlier judgment.
According to the Minister, the prosecution sought to have Anojan dealt with under Sharia law rather than the country's cybercrime legislation, and the death sentence was subsequently imposed.
Herath also said an appeal submitted on behalf of Anojan was rejected.
Earlier sentence
Earlier reporting concerning the case stated that Anojan had initially received a five-year prison sentence and a fine of three million Saudi riyals over a social-media comment considered offensive to Islam.
Reports that this had subsequently been increased to a death sentence initially came from Anojan's family and legal representatives.
Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry had previously said it was monitoring the judicial proceedings but had not publicly confirmed the reported death sentence.
The Foreign Minister's September 22 statement to Parliament now provides official Sri Lankan Government confirmation of that development.
Sri Lanka pursuing several avenues
Herath said the Government is continuing both diplomatic and legal intervention.
A parliamentary delegation headed by Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih and expected to include Government and Opposition MPs is being proposed to travel to Saudi Arabia.
The delegation is expected to deliver a letter seeking relief for Anojan.
The Government is also pursuing an appeal for clemency to the King of Saudi Arabia.
Herath said he intends to raise the case with the Saudi Foreign Minister during an upcoming international meeting.
President's Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma and President's Counsel Faizer Mustapha have also offered assistance with the legal effort.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh remains involved in providing consular support and examining possible further legal avenues.
Sentence has not been commuted
The diplomatic and legal interventions do not mean that the death sentence has been cancelled, reduced or suspended.
At the time of this update, Sri Lanka is seeking further legal remedies, a pardon, commutation or other relief.
Any change to the sentence requires further action through the relevant Saudi legal or executive processes.