The fate of a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker remains uncertain after a Saudi Arabian court sentenced him to death over a Facebook comment, with his family unable to establish contact with him as efforts to save his life intensify.
Anoj an Sivarasa, who was working in Saudi Arabia, was convicted of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad following a heated exchange on social media.
His mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, has made an emotional appeal to Saudi authorities to show mercy and allow her son to return home.
"I plead for mercy for the wrongs committed by my son. Please forgive him and send him back to us."
The family has not received any information about Anojan since 28 September, adding to their fears about what could happen to him.
The Sri Lankan government has asked the family to avoid making further public comments while diplomatic discussions with Saudi authorities continue.
There is currently no official date for Anojan's execution. Saudi authorities have not announced when the sentence could be carried out.
Anoj an's legal troubles followed an online dispute that developed after an incident during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka.
In late June, a video showing a young Muslim man kicking a dog following an encounter with Hindu pilgrims circulated on social media. The video triggered arguments between users over religion.
During the online exchange, another user made offensive remarks about a Hindu deity. Anojan responded in Tamil by insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
He deleted the comment soon afterwards and later posted an apology video. However, someone had already taken a screenshot of the post and shared it with his employer and Saudi authorities.
Anoj an was arrested in July. His electronic devices were seized, while Saudi officials also deleted his social media accounts.
His brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, said the complaint did not originate in Saudi Arabia but was sent to Anojan's employer by people in Sri Lanka.
"People in Saudi Arabia knew nothing about this matter. It was individuals in Sri Lanka who sent emails to the company where my brother worked. I do not even wish to mention who those people are," Anojan's brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, told BBC Sinhala.
Hamsidan said the company subsequently informed Saudi authorities, resulting in the opening of a criminal case against his brother.
Anoj an was first sentenced by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court to five years in prison and fined 3m Saudi riyals, which is about $0.8m (£0.6m).
An appeal filed on his behalf to have the punishment reduced was rejected, according to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath.
The situation changed on 17 September when Saudi prosecutors appealed against the initial decision and asked for Anojan's case to be dealt with under Sharia law instead of cybercrime legislation.
The appellate court granted the request and imposed the death penalty.
Sri Lanka's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that it is pursuing every available option to help Anojan.
His family met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat on 21 September. The president assured them that his administration would make every effort to obtain a general pardon and directed Sri Lankan diplomatic representatives to engage the Saudi authorities.
The case has also drawn support from Buddhist and Hindu religious leaders.
The Mahanayake Theros of the Ramanna Nikaya and the Amarapura Maha Nikaya, together with Hindu leaders, presented a memorandum at the Presidential Secretariat. They called on the government to take urgent action on the case.
Sri Lanka is also sending a four-member legal delegation to Saudi Arabia this week. The team plans to meet the lawyers representing Anojan and assess the available legal options.
"There are two law firms in Saudi Arabia handling Anojan's case. We are going there to meet the lawyers from these two firms, discuss the case and plan what can be done next," one of the team, Upul Kumarapperuma, MP, told BBC Sinhala.
The family's last contact with Anojan has added to the uncertainty surrounding his situation.
"My brother hasn't called for two days." Hamsidan said on 28 September. "We informed the embassy and asked officials to look into the matter and update us. They said they would check. We are still waiting, as we have not yet received a response."
Prisoners facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia generally do not keep personal mobile phones. Communication with relatives is instead arranged formally through prison authorities.
The case has renewed concerns from human rights organisations over severe punishments in Saudi Arabia for online speech.
In July 2023, Mohammed Al Ghamdi, a retired Saudi school teacher, was sentenced to death over comments posted on several social media platforms, according to the United Nations.
"The death sentence against Mohammad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi, who has a total of just 10 followers on both of his anonymous Twitter accounts and is accused of nothing other than expressing his opinions on social media, is ludicrous," Philip Luther, Amnesty International's Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said at the time.
Al Ghamdi's death sentence was later overturned and replaced with a 30-year prison term, according to ALQST, an independent non-governmental organisation that promotes and defends human rights in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has more than 10 million foreign workers, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
Rights organisations say migrant workers earning low wages can be particularly vulnerable within the Saudi legal system because of language difficulties and limited access to proper legal representation.
Executions linked to blasphemy are relatively uncommon in Saudi Arabia when compared with death sentences arising from offences such as drug crimes and murder.
For Anojan's family, the immediate priority remains finding a way to secure his life and return him to Sri Lanka as diplomatic and legal efforts continue.