Saudi Arabia: Death Penalty for Facebook Comment

A Saudi Court of Appeal in the Eastern Region sentenced Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker, to death on September 17, 2026. The ruling follows a Facebook comment deemed blasphemous, despite a public apology and an initial five-year prison sentence. Human Rights Watch described the judgment as an outrageous overreaction and urged Saudi authorities to release him. Separately, discussions persist regarding the Pope’s stance on the death penalty and the church's silence on criminal desert.