Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 17: India has reaffirmed its commitment to provide every possible assistance to Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse facing the death penalty in Yemen for the 2017 murder of a Yemeni national. The scheduled execution, initially set for July 16, has been temporarily halted, offering a ray of hope amid ongoing negotiations.
Addressing the media in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the case as “very sensitive” and confirmed that India has been actively engaged through diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian channels.
“The Government of India has been offering all possible assistance,” Jaiswal said. “We have provided legal support, appointed a lawyer for the family, arranged consular access, and are maintaining contact with both Yemeni authorities and Priya’s family.”
He added that India is also in dialogue with friendly foreign governments to help facilitate a resolution.
According to officials, India recently made a concerted effort to seek more time for Priya’s family to reach an out-of-court settlement with the family of the deceased, Talal Abdo Mehdi. Under Sharia law, such settlements are possible through a ‘blood money’ arrangement, where the family of the victim may pardon the accused in exchange for monetary compensation.
While there has been internal disagreement among members of Mehdi’s family, religious leaders and negotiators are reportedly working to mediate the differences. The next phase of talks is expected to revolve around the amount and terms of the blood money.
In a show of support, a Kerala-based billionaire has stepped forward, expressing readiness to cover any financial compensation required to secure clemency.
Nimisha Priya, who moved to Yemen in 2008 to support her family, worked as a nurse before launching her own clinic. In 2017, she was accused of administering sedatives to her former business partner Talal Mehdi, allegedly in an attempt to recover her confiscated passport. The sedatives reportedly proved fatal, leading to her arrest as she tried to flee the country.
Convicted in 2018, Priya was sentenced to death in 2020, and Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council upheld the ruling in 2023, while keeping open the possibility of forgiveness through blood money.
With her execution now temporarily suspended and diplomatic channels active, efforts are underway to find a humanitarian resolution that could save her life.