Nimisha Priya case: Govt assures all assistance, reaches out to allies
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New Delhi: India has reiterated its commitment to extend all possible support to Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who faces the death penalty in Yemen for the 2017 murder of a Yemeni national. The government has also engaged with “friendly governments” to aid in efforts to secure clemency.
“This is a very sensitive matter, and the Government of India has been offering all possible assistance,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly press briefing in New Delhi. “We have provided legal assistance, appointed a lawyer to support the family, arranged regular consular access, and continue to liaise with local authorities and the family to find a resolution.”
Jaiswal confirmed that India had made “concerted efforts in recent days” to secure more time for the family to negotiate with the deceased's relatives. As a result, Yemeni authorities have temporarily postponed the execution, which was initially scheduled for July 16.
India is also in contact with “some friendly governments” to explore diplomatic avenues to resolve the case, the MEA added.
In a significant development, the execution has been placed on hold following a prolonged series of negotiations. Experts note that under Sharia law, the victim’s family holds the power to pardon the accused in exchange for 'blood money' — a form of financial compensation.
However, differences of opinion within the deceased's family have reportedly stalled progress. Religious leaders and mediators involved in the talks are now working to bridge the divide and reach a consensus.
The next phase of negotiation is expected to focus on the amount of blood money to be paid. A prominent Kerala-based billionaire has expressed readiness to provide whatever financial assistance is needed to help save Priya.
Nimisha Priya, who moved to Yemen in 2008 to support her family, initially worked as a nurse before launching her own clinic. In 2017, she allegedly administered sedatives to her former business partner, Talal Abdo Mehdi, in an attempt to recover her confiscated passport. The sedatives proved fatal.
Priya was arrested while trying to flee the country and was convicted of murder in 2018. In 2020, she was sentenced to death — a ruling upheld by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. However, the court allowed for the possibility of clemency through blood money negotiations.
She remains imprisoned in Yemen as efforts to secure her release continue.
With IANS inputs
