Nimisha Priya Case: MEA Says Contacting 'Friendly Govts' Amid Efforts To Reach 'Mutually Agreeable Solution'

The scheduled execution of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen has been temporarily postponed, providing a brief and critical window for further negotiations to save her life. Priya, 38, was sentenced to death for the 2017 murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi, a case that has drawn significant attention and diplomatic concern in recent years.

MEA In Touch With Local Officials, Family To Resolve Issue

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the development on Wednesday, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating that the Indian government is making “all possible efforts” to prevent Priya’s execution. "We have provided legal assistance and appointed a lawyer to assist the family... We are also in touch with local authorities and her family to resolve this issue," Jaiswal said. He also noted that India is engaging with “friendly governments” to help mediate a resolution.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told ANI, "We will continue to closely follow the matter and render all possible assistance in the case."


Uncertain Fate Of Nimisha Priya

Priya has been imprisoned in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital currently under the control of Houthi forces, where she has spent years awaiting the outcome of her case. The execution, initially scheduled for July 16, was postponed following intense back-channel diplomatic efforts and a plea from her family for more time to negotiate a settlement under Yemen's Sharia law.

One potential lifeline lies in the provision of diyat or blood money, which allows for compensation to the victim’s family in exchange for sparing the convict’s life. However, negotiations on this front have stalled, with Mahdi’s family reportedly holding firm on their demand for retribution rather than monetary settlement.

Priya’s mother, Premakumari, has been actively involved in advocating for her daughter's release and had traveled to Yemen to support the negotiations. On Monday, the Indian government informed the Supreme Court that it had undertaken every possible effort within the diplomatic constraints.

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