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Renewed Efforts for Nimisha Priya's Release

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 27: Recent developments have sparked new hope in the campaign to free Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala who is facing a death sentence in Yemen.

MLA Chandy Oommen has reported that discussions are actively taking place in the Gulf region, especially in the UAE and Qatar, involving expatriate businesspeople with connections to Yemen.

Oommen expressed optimism, stating, “We have reasons to anticipate positive updates soon,” while also noting that the ongoing mediation efforts led by the Kanthapuram group have not been overlooked.

Chandy Oommen, the son of the late former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who was deeply engaged in this matter until his passing in 2023, has urged Kerala Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar on three occasions to escalate the issue to the central government.

Nimisha Priya, originally from Palakkad, was sentenced in 2020 for the murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2017.

It has been reported that her actions were a result of prolonged physical and psychological abuse, culminating in a fatal drug overdose administered by him.

The case gained significant media attention when Yemeni authorities announced her execution date for July 16 this year.

However, persistent advocacy, including efforts from Kerala’s Grand Mufti, Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, led to a last-minute reprieve.

Mufti’s extensive network, particularly his collaboration with notable Yemeni cleric Shaikh Habeeb Ummer, has been instrumental in facilitating dialogue.

Jawad Mustafawy, a close associate of the Mufti who has studied Islamic philosophy in Yemen, reiterated that their primary goal is to secure her release.

Current diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives are focused on persuading the victim’s family, who hold the ultimate authority in Yemen’s legal system.

Reports suggest that a Yemeni delegation, including women, has approached the victim's family to discuss potential reconciliation and compensation options.

As discussions in the Gulf progress alongside religious and humanitarian efforts, there is renewed hope that Nimisha may not only avoid execution but could also return to Kerala.