The last round of talks to rescue Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who has been sentenced to death in Yemen's Sanaa, is continuing in Yemen, according to human rights activist Samuel Jerome, a member of the 'Save Nimisha Priya International Council'.
Jerome told Manorama Online that the talks with the victim Talal Abdo Mahdi's family had hit a wall after August. "For her release, the family has to accept the Blood Money (diyaa). We hope things will be clear in the next two days," he added.
The efforts to source funds for the same have also gained pace. Jerome had earlier said there were little efforts to source the second instalment of money for the mediation talks with tribal leaders. "The talks got stalled after we failed to provide the second instalment for talks. Had the talks progressed, Nimisha Priya would have been released by now," Jerome added.
However, council member Subhash Chandran alleged that Jerome did not inform the council members back home about the expense incurred in Yemen despite the council sending Rs 40 lakh. However, the council is doing everything it can to save Nimisha Priya.
"If the family of the victim is ready to accept the blood money and pardon Nimisha Priya, so her life will be saved, we are still hopeful, but we need support from the GoI, MEA. We need their immediate intervention. We are ready to pay the amount. We don't need a single penny from the government, we are just requesting them to facilitate the negotiation as we are unable to travel to Yemen," Subhash Chandran told PTI.
VIDEO | Subhash Chandran, the lawyer of Nimisha Priya who was sentenced to death in Yemen requests intervention of the GoI and MEA in the case, he says, "Nimisha is convicted for murder of Yemeni national. He was her sponsor and during the time of Yemen war, she was tortured by… pic.twitter.com/sJ5iWH28yZ
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Meanwhile, the mother and husband of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who has been sentenced to death in Yemen's Sanaa, has pleaded with the government and people back home to save her life. In a video message posted from Yemen, Nimisha Priya's mother Prema Kumari requested the Centre and other authorities to intervene. "This is my final plea. She has only days left. Every single person in the action council helped a lot to source money. I plead with the Centre and the council to do their best to save her life," Prema Kumari added.
Nimisha's husband Tomy Thomas too said that the family was ready to provide bloody money for the victim's family. He said the couple's child was just two years old when Nimisha returned to Yemen. She has seen her photographs and speaks over video calls, but she needs the support and love of a mother. We are hoping that we can connect to the family of Talal Abdo Mahdi and find a solution. We are ready to offer ‘diya’ (blood money) in return for the life of my wife," Thomas told News 18.
He added that the family had been in every possible legal way to seek pardon for Nimisha for the last seven years.
