Nimisha Priya case: MEA denies Action Council permission to visit Yemen

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has denied permission to a five-member delegation from the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council to travel to Yemen, citing serious security concerns and the lack of diplomatic ties with the country’s current administration.

In a letter addressed to the Council, the MEA stated that while the Supreme Court had allowed the Council to make representations to the government, the ministry could not permit the proposed visit to Sana’a.

The ministry pointed out that the Indian Embassy in Yemen has been relocated to Riyadh due to the deteriorating security situation. “There is no diplomatic relationship with the current dispensation in Sana’a,” the letter noted. It also highlighted that recent regional developments have made travel to Sana’a even more dangerous, and that negotiations in the case are being handled solely by Nimisha Priya’s family or their authorised representatives. Emphasising that the safety and security of Indian nationals remains a top priority, the MEA said it continues to make all possible efforts in the matter. The letter concluded that, in view of the prevailing circumstances, the ministry could not grant travel permission to the delegation.

The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, which is supporting Priya’s legal defence, had filed a plea in the Supreme Court urging the Centre to permit a delegation—including two or three representatives and a religious scholar from Kerala—to travel to Yemen and initiate talks with the victim’s family for forgiveness, a precondition for seeking pardon under Sharia law.

The MEA said on Friday that it is also in touch with some friendly governments as part of efforts to reach a solution in the case.

"We continue to follow the matter and render all possible assistance closely. We are also in touch with some friendly governments on the issue," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. "I would once again reiterate that this is a sensitive and complex case. Media reports based on misinformation and speculation are most unhelpful, and we would urge all to be mindful of this," he said. Some reports claimed that her death sentence has been revoked and an agreement has been reached for her release. "Such reports are incorrect. This is a sensitive matte,r and we urge all sides to stay away from misinformation," Jaiswal said.

Nimisha Priya, a Malayali nurse, hailing from Kollengode in Palakkad district, has been found guilty of murdering a Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mahdi in July, 2017. The 38-year-old is currently lodged in a jail in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital city that is under the control of Iran-backed Houthis. In 2020, a Yemeni court handed her the death sentence and the country's Supreme Judicial Council dismissed her appeal in November 2023. Her execution was scheduled for July 16, but it was postponed following intervention of Indian officials.