Ex-Maldives President Nasheed joins diplomatic push to save Sri Lankan on Saudi death row
COLOMBO ‒ Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed has offered his assistance to bolster efforts to save the life of Sivarasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan migrant worker currently facing the death sentence in Saudi Arabia.
Nasheed extended the offer during a meeting with President’s Counsel Faiszer Musthapha and Upul Kumarapperuma, who are spearheading legal and diplomatic initiatives to pursue humanitarian avenues for the condemned worker.
During the discussion, the former Maldivian leader noted that while he found Anojan’s alleged conduct “deplorable”, he remained fully willing to intervene on strictly humanitarian grounds.
The offer of intervention comes amid escalating legal and diplomatic efforts by Sri Lanka after a Saudi appellate court enhanced Anojan’s sentence to capital punishment. Anojan, a registered worker under the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), was originally sentenced to five years in prison and fined over a controversial social media post before the penalty was elevated on appeal.
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath recently informed Parliament that attorneys Musthapha and Kumarapperuma have agreed to provide pro bono legal services and will travel to Saudi Arabia at their own expense. They are set to coordinate directly with local legal representatives and Saudi officials to explore all available avenues, including judicial reviews and presidential clemency appeals.
The Sri Lankan government confirmed it will cover the remaining legal fees associated with the case.
-ENCL
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.