If this had happened in Pakistan, the judges would have been shot dead by now.
Saudi Arabia throws out death sentence for man over Facebook post
A Saudi appellate court imposed the sentence in September after finding Anojan Sivarasa guilty of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad in September, sparking outrage among Sri Lankans and international human rights groups and prompting an intensive diplomatic campaign on his behalf.
Thanking Saudi authorities for their cooperation, Hemachandra said the outcome was due to the "sustained diplomatic and legal efforts" of Sri Lanka's ambassador, officials of the foreign and overseas workers' ministries and legal teams in both countries.
Sivarasa is alleged to have posted a comment in his native Tamil insulting the Prophet Muhammad in response to a derogatory post about a Hindu deity during a heated online exchange over religion in June.
Sivarasa removed the post and issued an apology but was arrested in July.
Sri Lankan member of parliament Faizer Mustafa, who was involved in the legal negotiations with Riyadh, told the BBC's Sinhala-language service that the death sentence had been set aside and that the Supreme Court's judgment was in the process of being reviewed.
Human Rights Watch criticized what it said was Saudi Arabia's use of unprecedented sentences for speech-related infractions.
"Saudi authorities should end their use of abusive laws to hand out extraordinary sentences for speech-related offenses, especially against migrant workers who are already in a vulnerable position with limited protections," Human Rights Watch senior Saudi Arabia researcher Joey Shea said Tuesday.
It was unclear if or how Wednesday's reprieve in the Supreme Court affects other criminal sanctions imposed on Sivarasa by the lower courts, including a five year prison sentence and an $800,000 fine.
