Anojan Sivarasa’s family meets President to thank him for securing release
The family of Anojan Sivarasa, who had been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (November 12, 2026) to thank him for his intervention in securing Sivarasa’s release and clearing him of all charges.
The meeting took place this morning at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, where Sivarasa’s family members expressed their gratitude to the President for his efforts.
During a friendly discussion with the family, President Dissanayake said it was his responsibility to stand up for Sri Lankan citizens at all times, wherever they may be in the world.
The President also emphasised that special appreciation should be extended to the Government of Saudi Arabia for its role in securing Sivarasa’s release, as well as to everyone who supported the efforts, regardless of their ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.
Sivarasa’s parents informed the President that their son was currently in good health.
His mother expressed her gratitude to President Dissanayake for intervening from the beginning to save her son from the death sentence and ensure that he was cleared of all charges.
She also thanked Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia O. L. Ameer Ajwad and the Embassy staff.
She further expressed her appreciation to the lawyers who travelled to Saudi Arabia to provide legal assistance and all Sri Lankans who contributed to the efforts to secure her son’s release.
Social activist Rajkumar Rajeevkanth also thanked the President for fulfilling the assurance he had given when they first met regarding Sivarasa’s release.
Rajeevkanth revealed that Sivarasa’s parents had suffered severe psychological distress during the same period following the execution of a Bangladeshi couple who had also been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia.
Chairman of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Koshala Wickremasinghe was also present at the meeting.