What efforts are being made to save Nimisha Priya’s life?

With only a few days left before Indian nurse Nimisha Priya’s scheduled execution in Yemen, opposition leaders in India have urged the central government to take urgent diplomatic steps to save her life.

Congress leader K.C. Venugopal wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, requesting immediate diplomatic efforts to stop the execution, which is planned for July 16.

He said the situation is very complex and needs to be treated as a top priority. One major hurdle, according to Venugopal, is the ongoing conflict in Yemen, which has slowed down negotiations for “blood money” or diyah, a compensation that could stop the execution under Yemeni law.

Background of the case

Nimisha Priya, a 37-year-old nurse from Kerala, was found guilty of murdering her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2018. Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council confirmed her death sentence in November 2023, and it was approved by the president earlier this year.

Under Sharia law in Yemen, a death sentence can be avoided if the victim’s family accepts blood money. Nimisha’s family has offered $1 million (around ₹8.06 crore INR) to the victim’s relatives, but no agreement has been reached yet.

Final efforts underway

To save her life, activists have formed the “Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council.” Campaigner Babu John told NDTV that family representative Samuel Jerome has traveled to Yemen to negotiate directly with the victim’s family.

“We’ve made the offer; now it’s up to them. If they agree, we’re ready to pay immediately,” said John.

Nimisha’s husband, Tomy Thomas, has met Kerala’s governor to seek help and said that both central and state governments are doing everything possible through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

“We are in contact with Nimisha. Officials are trying their best, and we remain hopeful,” Thomas told ANI.

Earlier this week, Rajya Sabha MP Sandosh Kumar from CPI also appealed to Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, calling this a humanitarian crisis. He pointed out that Nimisha had suffered abuse and coercion from her partner and urged the Indian government to act with compassion and determination.

Kumar also said that the lack of formal diplomatic ties between India and Yemen is making the process more difficult.

MEA promises full support

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Indian government is fully aware of the case and is providing all possible support.

The only hope now is for the victim’s family to grant forgiveness before the July 16 deadline. Supporters of Nimisha Priya are hopeful that the offer of blood money will be accepted in time to save her life.