‘Sensitive Matter': MEA Refutes Reports In Nimisha Priya's Execution Case
The Ministry of External Affairs urged restraint and rejected speculative reporting around the case of Nimisha Priya, the Indian nurse facing the death penalty in Yemen, reaffirming that India is working 'through all possible channels" to bring her home.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, 'This is a sensitive matter. The Government of India has been giving all possible assistance in this case. As a result of our efforts, you all have seen that the sentencing was deferred… As I said last time, we are also in touch with some friendly government in this matter… I would urge to refrain from believing any media report. Please wait for an update from us."
The statement from MEA came days after 13-year-old Mishel, the daughter of Nimisha Priya, went to Yemen to plead for her mother's life. Mishel, who had not seen her mother in over a decade, was accompanied by her father Tomy Thomas and Global Peace Initiative founder Dr KA Paul.
In an emotional video message delivered in both Malayalam and English, Mishel said, 'I love you, mummy. Please help bring my mother back home. I so badly want to see her. I miss you, mummy."
Tomy, also speaking from Yemen, appealed directly to the authorities, saying, 'Please save my wife Nimisha Priya and help her reach her hometown."
Nimisha Priya, a trained nurse from Kerala, moved to Yemen in 2008 and later opened her own clinic. In 2017, she was arrested for the alleged murder of her former business partner, Talal Abdo Mehdi. Authorities claim she attempted to sedate him to retrieve her passport- reportedly held by him without consent- but the sedative proved fatal. She was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to death in 2020.
Her execution, initially scheduled for July 16, was suspended after sustained diplomatic outreach from India. The MEA confirmed it is providing full legal assistance to Nimisha Priya's family, including visa support and consular access, and has deputed a team of legal and Sharia experts to Yemen.
The case remains complex as under Yemeni Sharia law, the victim's family holds the right to pardon in exchange for diyyah (blood money). However, the brother of the deceased, Abdelfattah Mehdi, has publicly refused any clemency, saying, 'There can be no pardon for the crime."
Dr KA Paul praised Yemeni authorities for engaging with the humanitarian appeal, saying, 'Nimisha's only daughter did not see her for 10 years. Mishel is here. I want to thank the Talal family. As soon as you release Nimisha, hopefully tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, we shall be very grateful. God will bless you."
Calling Nimisha Priya a 'symbol of peace," he added, 'The nation of Yemen will bring investments and prosperity when you address the world because Nimisha has become the daughter of India. What you are doing is an amazing gesture."
The Indian government has maintained a cautious stance, urging the media to avoid conjecture as sensitive negotiations continue. The MEA reiterated, 'Please wait for an update from us."
view comments
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
9 minutes ago
- Hans India
TG athletes can gain from new sports policy
If Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has his say and goes all-out to implement his ambitious sports agenda, then the State, and its capital city in particular, will boast of world-class sports infrastructure across disciplines in the next couple of years. On the face of it, this is a praiseworthy effort as the bane of the Indian political apparatus has been the insipid promotion of sports, baring a select few. Budgetary allocations for sports have never been inspirational. In fact, the neglect is such that some allocations have been reduced here and there. The ambitiously carved out 32-page sports policy unveiled by Revanth Reddy the other day makes for a wonderful reading as he promises everything under the moon to realise his dream of making the state the hub of international sports. The comprehensive vision lays stress on strengthening governance, boosting infrastructure, and ushering in a breathtaking sports ecosystem that would result in the emergence of medal-winning athletes. There is no doubt that once he goes about the implementation process and enhances budgetary allocations, there would be smiles on the faces of countless sportspersons, coaches and the support staff. Over a period, Telangana can indeed be the envy of the nation going by the manner it brings about the best of infrastructure and sports avenues, including supporting budding talent coming from the poorer strata. Alas, carried away by the moment, Reddy revealed the politician in him when he spoke rather exaggeratedly that Hyderabad would be fit enough to host some Olympic disciplines by 2036. This is too ambitious a remark given that preparing grounds and facilities and putting in place infrastructure of an extraordinary kind for the mega event is no child's play. What the city has, as of now, is not sound enough to host even a fraction of the events that feature in Olympics. He should take cue from his political mentor N Chandrababu Naidu, who, in his effort to provide the best of facilities for the 2002 National Games, came up with the finest stadiums and playing surfaces. Budget was no problem. J Jayalalithaa constructed the magnificent JN stadium in nine months. Can Revanth Reddy emulate these records? The fact is that the stadiums constructed by Naidu like GMC Balayogi athletics stadium, KVBR stadium, tennis complex and the velodrome are all outdated as the wear and tear must have worn them out. They need to be refurbished before the city is good enough to host the National Games two years down the line, towards which Reddy is to approach the Indian Olympic Association. However, realising the herculean task that lies up ahead, the Chief Minister has played his masterstroke-a Public Private Participation (PPP). This will go a long way in helping him realise the dream of nurturing Olympic gold medallists and world champions across disciplines. Adding to this is the smart move to constitute a 14-member Board of Governors to oversee handling of the Telangana Sports Development Fund (TSDF). Featuring some big names from the world of sports and industry, including Kapil Dev, Abhinav Bindra, Pullela Gopichand and Bhaichung Bhutia, it will be headed by industrialist Sanjeev Goenka, which ensures transparent and accountable utilisation of resources that will be raised through the PPP mode. A good beginning has been made as the state was able to sign MoUs with many keen investors and sponsors. This can help promote exchange programmes with other nations and invest in proven international coaches. Hopefully, this will mark the beginning of rewarding days for sportspersons from Telangana.
Hans India
9 minutes ago
- Hans India
Trump threatens more tariffs on India
Washington/New Delhi: In a fresh trade threat against India, President Donald Trump on Monday said he will "substantially" raise US tariffs on New Delhi, accusing it of buying massive amounts of Russian oil and selling it for big profits. Last week, the Trump administration slapped a 25 per cent duty on all Indian goods. The US President also announced a penalty for buying "vast majority" of Russian military equipment and crude oil, but no mention was made in the notification. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits," Trump said in a social media post on Monday. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," he added. In its reaction, India said it will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest and that the implications of the tariffs are being examined. India's import of crude oil from Russia has risen from 0.2 per cent of total purchases before the Russia-Ukraine war to 35-40 per cent. New Delhi is the largest buyer of Russian oil after China. On August 1, Trump signed an Executive Order titled 'Further Modifying The Reciprocal Tariff Rates', raising tariffs for over five dozen countries, including a steep 25 per cent for India. The executive order, however, did not mention the 'penalty' that Trump had said India will have to pay because of its purchases of Russian military equipment and energy. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, in an interview to Fox News Sunday, stated that President Trump has said very clearly that 'it is not acceptable for India to continue financing" the Ukraine war by purchasing oil from Russia. Last week, Trump mounted a sharp attack on India and Russia for their close ties and said the two countries can take their "dead economies down together", a remark which prompted New Delhi to say that India is the world's fastest-growing major economy. Declaring that the US has a massive trade deficit with India, Trump had said that while 'India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any country.
Indian Express
9 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Express View: In the wake of Trump's latest moves, Delhi must push ahead with the trade deal
Days after US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports, and an unspecified penalty for defence and energy imports from Russia, the Indian government has initiated an exercise to thrash out concessions across sectors that can be put forth in trade talks between the two countries. As reported in this paper, key ministries have been directed to examine what can be offered to make the deal more attractive to Trump, with the US said to be pushing for greater market access than what has been on the table so far, bringing down tariff walls and doing away with non-tariff barriers. Another round of talks is slated to be held in the last week of August. There will be red lines, of course. The government, for instance, is reluctant to give concessions on some agri items, even as it must negotiate to increase market access to the world's largest economy — in 2024-25, India exported goods worth roughly $87 billion to the US, led by electronics (17.6 per cent of exports), pharma (11.8 per cent) and gems and jewellery (11.5 per cent). The imposition of higher tariffs on the country as compared to those levied on its competitors such as Vietnam and Indonesia will impact export competitiveness and have implications for the broader economic momentum. Assessments by various agencies have provided some sense of the possible impact on the Indian economy — ICRA, for instance, has lowered its GDP growth forecast for the year to 6 per cent from 6.2 per cent earlier, while CareEdge Ratings has estimated the direct export loss to be around 0.3 to 0.4 per cent of GDP. Some of the options before the government reportedly involve increasing purchases of defence equipment and oil, and greater nuclear engagement, among others. Indian refiners have already cut down on oil imports from Russia to 1.6 million barrels per day in July, down 24 per cent from the month before. This decline has been offset by higher imports from countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the US and Nigeria. Concessions to the US could also be granted in areas of public procurement — in line with the India-UK trade agreement. Delhi's sober response, in the face of Trump's broadside — the US President has called India a 'dead economy' — reflects pragmatism when faced with pressure tactics designed to extract concessions. But, in a changed global order, where Trump is undoing the rules that underpinned the global trading system, a business-as-usual approach is unlikely to work. India should continue to sidestep the loose rhetoric, while moving ahead with negotiations to conclude a deal that delivers benefits to both sides. Alongside, it should press forward the domestic reform agenda to boost competitiveness, improve ease of doing business, and increase the attractiveness of the country as an investment destination.
