COLOMBO, Sept. 18 -- The Sri Lankan government is closely following the case of Sivarasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan national from Natpiddimunai, Kalmunai, whose sentence in Saudi Arabia has reportedly been enhanced to capital punishment following an appeal over alleged defamatory remarks against Islam.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh had been verbally informed by Sivarasa's lawyer that the sentence had reportedly been enhanced to the death penalty.

However, the Embassy is awaiting the formal written judgment from the competent Saudi judicial authorities before confirming the details and legal basis of the reported decision.

Ministry officials said the lawyer had informed the Embassy that the judgment may...