Save Nimisha Priya council urges calm amid ongoing negotiations

Kozhikode: Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council has urged the public to stay calm and avoid unnecessary social media debates or disruptive actions that could harm ongoing efforts to free the Keralite nurse, who is on death row in a Yemeni prison. In a statement on Wednesday, it said some people's words and actions from the state are making it harder to secure her release. Priya is on death row for the 2017 murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi.

It said some reports denying the role of Yemeni scholar Sheikh Habib Omar and making disparaging remarks about Mahdi's family are being circulated in Yemen and are complicating talks. It added that some members of Mahdi's family, especially younger relatives, are opposing the elders who stepped forward for negotiations.

It said the mediation efforts, which had gone smoothly for three days, are now facing difficulties. "We humbly request everyone to stop quarrelling over credit or publishing news for ratings as this could put Priya's life in danger," said the council that has been working to save Priya for the past five years through legal and diplomatic efforts.

It said Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musaliyar's intervention achieved results that five years of legal efforts could not. His outreach opened key channels for dialogue with Mahdi's family and paved the way for negotiations, it added. The council said talks are being led by Sufi scholar Habib Omar and added that the efforts will only be complete when the family agrees to accept blood money and pardon Priya.

Meanwhile, CPM state secretary MV Govindan met the Sunni leader at his office on Wednesday and commended him for his intervention to secure the postponement of the execution of Priya in Yemen.

Addressing the media later, he said that Kanthapuram upheld humanity and sent a message to the world that Kerala upholds secular values. "He reached out to religious scholars and later they held talks with Yemeni authorities that led to a decision to postpone her execution," he said, adding that Kanthapuram had told him that discussions, involving religious leaders, were still underway in Yemen.