The death sentence handed down to Sri Lankan national Anojan Sivarasa has brought renewed attention to allegations of an online campaign against him, including claims that his social media comments were circulated without their original context to mobilise hostility against him and damage his livelihood.
At the centre of these allegations is Azeem Abdul Jabbar, a Sri Lankan migrant worker reportedly based in Doha, Qatar, whose social media posts have drawn scrutiny over his views on women’s education, child marriage, and gender segregation, as well as his alleged role in amplifying the controversy surrounding Anojan.
According to allegations, Jabbar circulated a cropped version of Anojan’s comment while omitting the preceding exchange in which Anojan was responding to an insult against a Hindu deity. It is further alleged that the comment was translated and circulated across social media platforms and WhatsApp groups, prompting efforts to target Anojan’s workplace and damage his reputation.
The allegations raise questions about the role of online mobilisation in the controversy surrounding Anojan. However, the precise connection between the alleged campaign and the legal proceedings that resulted in his death sentence would need to be established through documentary evidence and the court record.
The Controversial Social Media Posts Attributed to Azeem Abdul Jabbar
Posts attributed to Jabbar have attracted criticism over their stated positions on women’s education and early marriage.
In a post dated 21 July 2026, under the name “Azeem Srilanki,” he argued that parents concerned about protecting girls’ virginity could consider alternatives to conventional schooling, suggesting that children did not necessarily have to attend school to receive an education. He also referred to the growth of homeschooling in developed countries, claiming that sexual problems were a principal reason for the trend.
Another statement attributed to him argues that early marriage is preferable to losing virginity in the name of modernity, presenting married life as genuine civilisation and describing sex outside marriage as prostitution.
These statements seem to advocate restrictions on girls’ education and promoting early marriage as a means of controlling female sexuality.
The 2022 Comparison With Easter Sunday Terrorist Zahran Hashim
Jabbar’s social media activity has also drawn attention because of a reported 2022 Facebook post by a Sri Lankan Muslim user comparing him to Zahran Hashim, the extremist leader associated with the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019.
The coordinated bombings killed 269 people and targeted churches and hotels. Hashim was identified as a central figure in the attacks.
Here is a video of Zahran where he is heard saying that according to him, humanity has only three choices: become a Muslim, believe in Islam, or deserve to be killed, even if you are innocent.
Look what this Srilankan muslim is saying
According to Islam Humans comes under only Three ways
1) Need to be a Muslim
2) Need to believe in Islam
3) If not they Deserved to be killed even if there are innocentHe is the master mind behind 2019 Easter bombings in Srilanka which killed 267 peoples btw https://t.co/aWVKtOmPET
— Iniyan (@Iniyanspeaks) October 8, 2026
How the Controversy Surrounding Anojan Began
According to the account provided by Anojan’s supporters, the controversy originated with an incident in which a Sri Lankan Muslim man allegedly kicked a dog that was following Hindu pilgrims.
The incident reportedly triggered heated exchanges on social media. During the ensuing dispute, a woman identified as Nafeesa M. Mafas allegedly posted an insult against a Hindu deity. Anojan responded to that post but subsequently deleted his comment and uploaded an apology video.
The sequence of events is significant to the allegations surrounding the later circulation of his remarks. His comment was presented without the preceding exchange, concealing the context in which it had been made.
It is alleged that Jabbar deliberately circulated a cropped version of the comment, translated it, and shared it with followers across social media platforms and WhatsApp groups.
According to these allegations, the circulation of the edited material was intended to provoke outrage against Anojan and encourage people to contact his workplace, with the aim of damaging his professional and personal life.
Allegations of a Coordinated WhatsApp Campaign
It is further alleged that a WhatsApp group associated with Islam Daily Reminders (IDR) was used to coordinate efforts to target him.
It is alleged that a phone number associated with the campaign connects to the group and that its members shared material intended to damage Anojan’s reputation.
Following the death sentence verdict, it is alleged that some people associated with the controversy closed or deactivated their social media accounts, while Jabbar continued posting about Anojan.
His subsequent commentary contains misleading claims about Anojan and is intended to justify the earlier campaign.
This article is based on an X thread by Nono Junior.
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