Can Congress Save Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya from Execution in Yemen?

Thiruvananthapuram, July 10 (NationPress) As the execution date for Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya looms, set for July 16 in Yemen, the Congress party in the state is intensifying its campaign to prevent her death, urgently demanding high-level diplomatic intervention.

On Thursday, the Opposition leader, V.D. Satheesan, reached out to President Droupadi Murmu, imploring her for swift action.

“I am writing to sincerely request your intervention regarding the case of Nimisha Priya, a 37-year-old nurse from Kollengode in Palakkad district, who is facing an imminent execution in Yemen,” Satheesan stated in his letter.

He emphasized that Yemen’s judicial framework permits diyat (blood money), which allows the victim’s family to forgive the accused in exchange for monetary compensation. However, attempts to initiate such discussions are obstructed by the lack of formal diplomatic relations between India and the Houthi-led government in Sanaa.

“Given this humanitarian crisis, I call upon your office to take immediate action through all available diplomatic channels to secure a stay on the execution and offer the necessary legal, diplomatic, and financial assistance to save an Indian citizen’s life,” Satheesan urged.

The day prior, Mariamma Oommen Chandy, widow of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, along with her son and MLA Chandy Oommen, met with Kerala Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar to seek his intervention. Mariamma noted her late husband’s active involvement in the case during its initial stages and expressed her commitment to continue that pursuit.

In addition, the Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a petition on July 14, asking the Centre to utilize diplomatic means to avert Nimisha’s execution.

Nimisha Priya relocated to Yemen in 2008 to support her family, initially working in hospitals before establishing her own clinic. A dispute with her Yemeni business partner, Mehdi, escalated in 2017 when she administered sedatives in an attempt to reclaim her confiscated passport, which reportedly resulted in Mehdi’s death.

She was apprehended while attempting to flee the country and was convicted of murder in 2018. A Yemeni trial court issued a death sentence in 2020, a verdict that was upheld by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023, although the court indicated that execution could be avoided through diyat.

This case has raised significant concerns regarding the treatment of Indian nationals abroad. Nimisha’s mother, Prema Kumari (57), has been tirelessly advocating for her daughter’s release, even traveling to Sanaa to negotiate directly with the victim’s family for a potential pardon.

Her endeavors are supported by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, a coalition of NRI social workers and activists in Yemen focused on raising funds and garnering diplomatic backing.

As time runs short, all eyes turn to the Indian government and its diplomatic apparatus to act promptly and effectively to save Nimisha Priya.