your Python example is missing the action, 
conference confname memberid
^^^^ that's not a valid command

On Wednesday, April 20, 2016, Deepika Yadav <deepikay@iiitd.ac.in> wrote:
Hi, 

I want to change the speaking status of a conference member through a python script as:

import ESL
freeswitchcon =  ESL.ESLconnection(freeswitch_ip, freeswitch_port, freeswitch_name)
cmd = conferencename + member_id
freeswitchcon.api("conference", str(cmd))

This api doesn't doesn't fired though "originate" command works 

Another option :

import freeswitch

new_api_obj = API()
new_api_obj.executeString("conference "+conferencename+" "+member_id)

but this can't be called, due to module "_freeswitch" import error, instead need to called via the dialplan that calls the handler, doesn't looks a good way to do it

I am able to achieve this functionality in mod_java ESL simply using ; 

org.freeswitch.swig.API a = new API(new JavaSession());
String rt = a.executeString("conference "+conferencename+" mute "+member_id);

How can I achieve this in python?

Regards,
Deepika