Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya on death row in Yemen faces execution July 16

Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse from Kerala, is scheduled to be executed in Yemen on July 16 after being convicted of murdering a Yemeni national. Her death sentence, initially handed down in 2018, was ratified by the President of Yemen last year and reaffirmed by the Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023.

Nimisha moved to Yemen in 2008 to financially support her family. After years of working in hospitals, she opened her own clinic in 2014, a process that legally required a Yemeni business partner. That’s when she partnered with Talal Abdo Mahdi, according to news reports.

However, their professional relationship soured. In 2016, Nimisha filed a complaint against Mahdi, leading to his temporary arrest. After his release, her family claimed that Mahdi continued to intimidate and harass her.

According to the defense, Nimisha administered sedatives to Mahdi in an attempt to retrieve her confiscated passport. Tragically, he reportedly died from an overdose. She was apprehended while trying to flee the country.

Yemeni courts found her guilty of murder, and her conviction was upheld through all levels of appeal. Under Yemeni law, the death penalty is applied for various crimes, including murder, adultery, drug trafficking, and even apostasy or same-sex relations.

Under Yemeni law, convicted murderers can avoid execution if the victim’s family agrees to accept “blood money” (compensation). However, the sum and the decision to accept it rest solely with the victim’s family.

Nimisha’s mother, who works as a domestic helper in Kochi, sold her home to help fight the case. Lawyer Subhash Chandran, part of a collective effort to save Nimisha, said that negotiations with the victim’s family collapsed in September 2024 after the embassy-appointed lawyer, Abdullah Ameer, demanded a pre-negotiation fee of $20,000 (around ₹16.6 lakh).

Though India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had already paid nearly $19,871 to Ameer in July 2023, he refused to continue discussions unless his total fee of $40,000 was paid in full, in two installments.

While the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council managed to raise the first installment via crowdfunding, questions emerged over transparency and fund management, stalling further progress.

In January, the Indian government stated it was monitoring the case and offering all possible support. But with the execution date rapidly approaching, Nimisha’s mother issued a desperate appeal:”I am deeply grateful to the Indian and Kerala governments and the committee working to save her. But this is my final plea — please help us save her life. Time is running out.”

The case has sparked public sympathy and calls for diplomatic intervention. With just days remaining, efforts are intensifying to revive talks with the victim’s family and raise the required compensation before it’s too late.