Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 9: Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse from Kerala convicted of murdering a Yemeni national, is scheduled to be executed in Yemen on July 16. The President of Yemen had approved her death sentence last year, and the Indian government has confirmed it is closely monitoring the case.
According to sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), officials have been in regular touch with Yemeni authorities and Nimisha’s family, and have extended all possible assistance.
Background of the Case
Nimisha Priya moved to Yemen in 2008 and later opened a clinic in 2014, in partnership with Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi—as required by local laws. After a fallout with Mahdi, Priya filed a police complaint against him in 2016. Though he was arrested, he was released later and allegedly continued to threaten her.
In a desperate attempt to retrieve her passport, which Mahdi had reportedly confiscated, Priya allegedly injected him with sedatives. The overdose led to his death. She was arrested while trying to flee the country and was convicted of murder in 2018. Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council upheld the verdict in November 2023.
The 'Blood Money' route
Under Yemeni law, a convict can avoid the death penalty if the victim's family agrees to accept ‘blood money’ as compensation. Nimisha’s family, backed by a support group—the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council—has tried to negotiate this route.
Her mother, who works as a house help in Kochi, sold her home to fight the case. However, efforts to negotiate stalled in 2024 after Abdullah Ameer, the lawyer appointed by the Indian Embassy, demanded a pre-negotiation fee of $20,000. While the MEA paid a part of the fee, and crowdfunding covered the rest, concerns over transparency in fund usage later hampered further talks.
Final appeal
With the execution date approaching, Nimisha’s mother issued a heartfelt plea. “I am deeply grateful to the Indian and Kerala governments, as well as the committee formed to save her, for all the support provided so far. But this is my final plea -- please help us save her life. Time is running out,” she said.
The case has drawn attention to the harsh legal environment in Yemen, where the death penalty applies to a wide range of offences, including murder, drug trafficking, and even consensual same-sex relations. Nimisha’s case continues to spark concern among human rights activists, diaspora groups, and legal advocates.