COLOMBO – Five Sri Lankan media organisations have jointly appealed to the leadership of Saudi Arabia to extend clemency to Sri Lankan national Sivarasa Anojan, who is facing a death sentence in the Kingdom, and spare his life.
The appeal, signed by the Free Media Movement (FMM), South Asian Women in Media – Sri Lanka (SAWM-SL), Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Tamil Media Alliance (TMA) and Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), urged the Saudi leadership to consider mercy and compassion as Anojan’s case proceeds through the country’s remaining judicial processes.
The organizations said they fully respected Saudi Arabia’s judicial process but stressed that the case also had a profound humanitarian dimension.
They noted that the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry has confirmed that it is closely monitoring the case, engaging the relevant Saudi authorities through diplomatic channels and taking steps to safeguard Anojan’s interests and provide him with all possible assistance.
Representing Sri Lanka’s Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim media communities, the organizations said they shared a commitment to religious harmony, responsible expression and peaceful coexistence.
They also pointed to the importance accorded to mercy, forgiveness, repentance and compassion in Islam, saying the appeal was being made in that spirit.
“We respectfully appeal to the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to extend clemency to Sivarasa Anojan and spare his life,” the organizations said.
They said such an act of clemency would be deeply appreciated by the people of Sri Lanka and would further strengthen the longstanding bonds of friendship, mutual respect and people-to-people relations between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia.
The media organizations also called on the Sri Lankan Government to maintain the highest level of diplomatic engagement and pursue every available legal and humanitarian avenue towards a compassionate resolution.
“At a time when the life of a Sri Lankan citizen hangs in the balance, every possible effort must be made to preserve life and facilitate his safe return to his family,” they said.
The appeal expressed hope that the Saudi leadership would consider the request in a spirit of respect, friendship and humanitarian concern.
–ENCL
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