State working towards detainee's release

The Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry with the assistance of the External Affairs Ministry will take measures to obtain the release of a Sri Lankan who was recently detained for worshipping a Buddha statue in Saudi Arabia, Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry Secretary Nissanka N Wijeratne said in a release yesterday.

The release said under the Sharia law applicable in Saudi Arabia, considered as a divine law, openly practising another religion is an offence, punishable with imprisonment.

The release added: " In the past both Christians and Hindus have also been imprisoned. Under the very strict Sharia law practised, for many offences a person cannot be pardoned even by the King of Saudi Arabia.

"This situation is explained during the pre-departure orientation to all migrant workers by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. This incident had happened by ignoring the advice given prior to departure."