Islamists across the world are justifying and defending the death sentence doled out to Sri Lankan Hindu Anojan Sivarasan over his alleged comments on Prophet Mohammed by Saudi Arabia.
Anojan is facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia over a Facebook comment directed at Prophet Muhammad. The case began with a social media dispute following an incident during the annual Pada Yatra pilgrimage to Kataragama in Sri Lanka, when a video circulated showing a Muslim man kicking a stray dog that had accompanied Hindu pilgrims.
During the subsequent online exchanges, a Facebook user identified as Nafeesa M Mafas posted a derogatory comment about Lord Shiva and the Shivalingam. Anojan responded with a comment threatening to behead Prophet Muhammad if he had him in his hands.
He subsequently deleted the comment and reportedly posted an apology video. However, screenshots of the exchange were circulated and sent to the company where he worked in Saudi Arabia, prompting his employer to alert Saudi authorities.
The Al-Ahsa Criminal Court initially sentenced Anojan to five years in prison and imposed a fine of three million Saudi riyals. On 17 September 2026, the appellate court increased his punishment to death after prosecutors sought to have him prosecuted under Sharia law rather than the country’s cybercrime legislation.
His case has since prompted appeals for clemency from political leaders, religious figures and civil society groups in Sri Lanka.
The situation has become more concerning following reports that Anojan was assaulted by another inmate in prison. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament that prison authorities had informed Sri Lankan Embassy officials that Anojan sustained scratches and fingernail injuries to his face during a physical altercation. Embassy officials were not permitted to meet him personally during their visit, leaving them reliant on information provided by Saudi authorities.
The Sri Lankan government is preparing an appeal before Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court, with the deadline to file it set for October 17. Diplomatic efforts seeking clemency or a reduction of the sentence are expected to follow the judicial process.
There were several Islamist accounts on social media celebrating and mocking the death sentence while others defended and justified it.
Anyone Making Derogatory Remarks Will Now Tremble With Fear’
One social media account posted a message beginning with “Good News”, claiming that a Saudi appellate court had sentenced Sivarasa to death for making derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammad on Facebook.
“Anyone making derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad will now tremble with fear,” the post declared, framing the reported death sentence as a deterrent against future criticism or insults.
Another account, Dr Rahmeh Aladwan (@doctor_rahmeh), also welcomed the development. Stating that insults against any of the prophets were unacceptable, she wrote: “We do not accept insults to any of our beloved prophets from Adam to Noah, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad peace be upon them all.”
She concluded her post with the words, “Well done Saudi Arabia,” explicitly praising the Saudi authorities.
Ironically, her bio says she supports free speech!
Muslim ‘IT Cell’ Handle Says Respect For Prophet Muhammad Is ‘Non-Negotiable’
An Islamist handle known for pushing pro-Muslim propaganda, flashing Muslim victim cards that goes by the name ‘The Muslim IT Cell (@Muslim_ITCell)’ also commented on the case, stating that “respect and dignity for Prophet Muhammad PBUH are non-negotiable for Muslims around the world.”
The remarks seemed like an issue of religious respect, without expressing concern over the reported severity of the punishment.
In another post, the Islamist handle flashed the victim card by juxtaposing the case with allegations that Indian Muslims were being killed over accusations involving beef consumption or cattle transportation.
“Indian Muslims are literally being killed in India over allegations of eating beef or transporting cattle,” the post stated, before criticising those who objected to the death sentence in Saudi Arabia.
“Yet now they are crying because a Saudi Arabian court sentenced a man to death for making offensive or abusive remarks about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” it added.
Pushback Against Calls To Oppose Blasphemy Punishments
The reactions also included pushback against arguments that blasphemy should not attract capital punishment.
Mohamed Nowsath (@Md_Nowsath), in a post dated October 7, wrote: “Blasphemy is a victimless crime. No one should be killed for an opinion whether you like it or not.”
He also argued that those advocating for blasphemy should not claim the moral high ground when advocating secularism in India.
In response, the phrase “Do not attempt to legitimize or normalize blasphemy” appeared alongside the exchange involving the Muslim IT Cell, justifying capital punishment for blasphemy.
Some other posts also justified the punishment.
When leftists questioned the punishment, even they got attacked.
And the same handles started correcting even pro-Muslim news media like BBC.
This included Pakistani handles too.
Another handle compared blasphemy to a crime and that it deserved death while people were reportedly being killed for no reason in Palestine.
And then there was a bunch of Sri Lankan Muslims who were reportedly mocking Anojan and celebrating his death sentence.
In a viral video, Sri Lankan Muslims are reportedly laughing and mocking his fate, claiming that he would return to Sri Lanka in two boxes—one containing his head and the other his body.
Srilankan Muslims Laughing and mocking at Anojan’s Death penalty
They saying: He will return to srilanka in Two boxes one with his Head and one with his Body nu 🤬 https://t.co/0xqPjRY1V5
— Iniyan (@Iniyanspeaks) October 7, 2026
On Instagram, it is even worse. Some Indian Muslims even started spreading lies about Anojan and uses slurs like gobar, andhbhakt. There were comments from Indian Muslims literally celebrating and justifying the death sentence.
This is just one video of many like it on Instagram. It took me 3 whole minutes to scroll through all the comments from Indians cheering for Anojan Sivarasa’s death sentence.
If you want to know what they really think, find places on the internet where they think it’s only them. https://t.co/mlNJcPMucZ
— Shanteehee (@shanteehee) October 8, 2026
The same voices that invoke victimhood, secularism and justice when Muslims are allegedly attacked have little sympathy when a Hindu faces the gallows in Saudi Arabia. Some have even attacked those who object to the death sentence. For them, apparently, human rights are conditional, outrage is selective, and a Hindu’s life is expendable when the charge is blasphemy. Anojan’s alleged remarks can be condemned without celebrating his execution. But when people cheer a death sentence, mock the condemned man’s fate and demand fear as the intended outcome, they reveal just how far their commitment to justice extends and where it ends.
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