Nimisha Priya's execution put off due to Indian govt's concerted efforts: MEA
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing that reports claiming that Priya's death sentence had been revoked and an agreement reached for her release are 'incorrect'. Such media reports based on misinformation are 'unhelpful', he said.
Priya's execution was scheduled for July 16 but was put off following the intervention of Indian officials and non-resident Indians, who have been seeking a reprieve for the Indian nurse. The 38-year-old woman is in a prison in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital city controlled by Houthi rebels.
'This is a sensitive matter and the Government of India has been offering all possible assistance in the case. As a result of our concerted efforts, the local authorities in Yemen have postponed carrying out her sentence,' Jaiswal said. 'We continue to closely follow the matter and render all possible assistance.'
Acknowledging that India is in touch with 'some friendly governments' on the issue, Jaiswal cautioned against speculative reporting on the matter.
'I would once again reiterate that this is a sensitive and complex case. Media reports based on misinformation and speculation are most unhelpful and we would urge all to be mindful of this,' he said.
Over the past few days, people familiar with the matter have dismissed claims made regarding Priya's case by evangelist KA Pau and Kerala-based cleric, Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musaliyar, who contended that the death sentence had been overturned.
Without going into specifics, Jaiswal urged 'all sides to stay away from misinformation'.
Priya, who hails from Kollengode in Palakkad district of Kerala, was convicted by a Yemeni court of murdering her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdo Mahdi and given the death sentence in 2020. Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council dismissed her appeal in November 2023.
Priya had injected Mahdi with sedatives in an attempt to retrieve her passport, which he had withheld amid escalating personal and financial disputes. An overdose reportedly led to his death.
Efforts to prevent Priya's execution have focused on the Islamic tradition of 'diyat', or paying 'blood money' to the victim's family. However, Mahdi's family has said that it will not agree to such a settlement. The matter has been complicated as India has no diplomatic presence in Yemen, and officials in the Indian mission in Saudi Arabia are handling the case.
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