New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said it has been in “constant touch with local authorities” in Yemen and is providing “all possible assistance” in the case of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse on death row in Sana’a. The statement comes a day after Yemeni authorities postponed her execution following sustained diplomatic efforts by India.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, the MEA confirmed that the Indian government had been “in constant touch with local authorities” to resolve the case. “This is a sensitive matter and the Government of India has been offering all possible assistance,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
Priya, a native of Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, was convicted of murdering a Yemeni citizen in 2017 and was scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, July 16. However, Yemeni authorities postponed her execution following a fresh push by India to secure more time for a possible settlement with the victim’s family.
The MEA said it had appointed a lawyer to assist Priya’s family, arranged regular consular access, and worked to secure more time to reach a “mutually agreeable solution” with the victim’s family. The execution was postponed following these efforts, which included engagement with friendly foreign governments despite India lacking a diplomatic presence in Yemen.
Priya’s mother, Premakumari, had earlier travelled to Yemen to seek her daughter’s release. Indian authorities had also explored the possibility of paying “diyat” or ‘blood money’ to secure her freedom, though that approach encountered complications, sources said.
In a related development, the Centre informed the Supreme Court on Monday that it was doing everything “utmost possible” to prevent Priya’s execution. “There is a point up to which the Government of India can go and we have reached that point,” Attorney General R Venkataramani told the bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta.
When asked about the role of a specific entity involved in the case, the MEA spokesperson said, “I have no information to share.”
