Nimisha Priya death sentence revoked? Sources say inaccurate information being shared

Nimisha Priya, an Indian national, is facing the death penalty in a murder case in Yemen.

Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala, is on death row for the murder of a Yemeni citizen in July 2017. Photo | PTI

NEW DELHI: Information being circulated by certain individuals regarding the Nimisha Priya case is inaccurate and does not reflect the current status of the matter, sources revealed on Tuesday.

Nimisha Priya, an Indian national, is facing the death penalty in a murder case in Yemen.

Earlier, the office of Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram AP Abubakker Musliyar had claimed that "the death sentence of Nimisha Priya, which was previously suspended, has been overturned. A high-level meeting held in Sanaa decided to completely cancel the death sentence that was temporarily suspended earlier."

On July 17, during a weekly media briefing, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, called the matter "sensitive" and said that India is providing all possible assistance.

The MEA has appointed a lawyer to help Priya's family handle the complicated legal process in Yemen. This includes looking at possibilities for clemency or pardon under Sharia law.

The Indian government has also arranged regular consular visits to ensure Priya's well-being and to support her during this difficult period.

"This is a very sensitive matter, and the government of India has been offering all possible assistance in the case. We have provided legal assistance and also appointed a lawyer to assist the family. We have also arranged for regular consular visits by her family, and we are also in touch with the local authorities, as well as the family members, to resolve this issue. This included concerted efforts in the recent few days to seek more time for the family of Nimisha Priya to reach a mutually agreeable solution with the other party. The local authorities in Yemen have postponed the carrying out of her sentence that was scheduled for July 16," said Jaiswal.

He added that India is also in contact with other friendly governments to secure a favourable outcome.

"We continue to closely follow the matter and render all possible assistance in the case. We are also in touch with some friendly governments in this regard," Jaiswal said.