Will PM Modi Intervene to Save Kerala Nurse on Death Row in Yemen?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Nimisha Priya faces execution in Yemen on July 16.
- K.C. Venugopal has called for urgent intervention.
- Diplomatic efforts are complicated by Yemen's civil conflict.
- Family and supporters are actively campaigning for her release.
- The case raises concerns about the safety of Indian nationals abroad.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 12 (NationPress) AICC general secretary and Congress MP K.C. Venugopal has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take immediate action to save the life of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who faces execution in Yemen on July 16.
In a letter directed to the Prime Minister, Venugopal emphasized the necessity for prompt diplomatic measures.
He highlighted that while Nimisha’s family and the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council have been striving for a settlement through blood money with the victim’s family, these efforts are being obstructed by Yemen’s ongoing civil conflict and instability.
“In light of the intricate circumstances, I urge you to intervene with the utmost urgency, utilizing all available diplomatic avenues to convince Yemeni authorities to revoke the death sentence,” Venugopal stated.
Legislators from various political backgrounds in Kerala have also appealed to the Union government and the President of India, demanding swift diplomatic measures to avert the execution.
A ray of hope has emerged with the Supreme Court scheduled to hear a petition on Monday, seeking directives for the Centre to act promptly through diplomatic means to rescue Priya.
Priya’s husband, Tomy Thomas, and their daughter have been tirelessly campaigning for her release. Thomas recently visited Thiruvananthapuram to garner support from Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar. He and Priya maintain communication via WhatsApp, assuring her that every possible effort is being made to bring her home safely.
Nimisha Priya relocated to Yemen in 2008 to assist her financially struggling parents, initially working as a nurse before establishing her own clinic. However, a disagreement in 2017 with her Yemeni business partner, Mehdi, ended tragically. According to her family, Priya administered sedatives to Mehdi to reclaim her confiscated passport, but the overdose turned fatal.
She was apprehended while attempting to escape the country and was convicted of murder in 2018. In 2020, a trial court sentenced her to death. Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council upheld this sentence in November 2023 but allowed for clemency through the payment of blood money to the victim’s family.
The case has garnered significant attention both in India and internationally, raising alarms about the precarious situation of Indian nationals working abroad, particularly in conflict zones.
Priya’s mother, Prema Kumari (57), has been a leading figure in the campaign to save her daughter. She even traveled to Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, to negotiate with the victim’s family. Her efforts are bolstered by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, which includes NRI social workers and rights activists.