New Delhi/Sanaa, July 9: Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who has been on death row in Yemen for the alleged murder of a Yemeni national, may be executed on July 16, according to unconfirmed media reports. However, no official confirmation has been issued by Yemeni authorities, her family, or Indian government representatives.
Priya, a native of Palakkad in the southern Indian state of Kerala, was convicted in 2018 for the murder of Talal Abdo Mehdi, her former business partner, and was sentenced to death by a trial court in 2020. Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council rejected her appeal in November 2023 but left open the option of paying “blood money” to the victim’s family under Islamic law, a legal provision that allows for clemency.
Efforts to reach an agreement with Mehdi’s family have so far failed, and reports of a scheduled execution date began circulating in regional media over the weekend. The Save Nimisha Priya Action Council, a collective advocating for her release, said it had not received any official communication regarding the execution date.
“We are yet to receive confirmation from either the family or the Ministry of External Affairs,” said Subhash Chandran K.R., a Supreme Court lawyer and council member. “We remain hopeful and continue to work on a resolution through legal and diplomatic channels.”
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it has been monitoring the case closely and has extended all possible support to Priya’s family. “We have been in regular touch with Yemeni authorities and her family,” an official source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We continue to follow the matter closely.”
Priya’s mother, Prema Kumari, has been in Yemen since April 2024, residing in the capital Sanaa with long-time Indian expatriate Samuel Jerome Bhaskaran, who is coordinating negotiations with the victim’s family. Bhaskaran has reportedly been unreachable in recent days, further fueling uncertainty around the execution timeline.
The case dates back to 2017, when Priya allegedly administered sedatives to Mehdi in an attempt to recover her passport, which she claimed he had confiscated during a business dispute. The sedative allegedly caused his death, and she was subsequently arrested and charged with murder.
Priya moved to Yemen in 2008 to work as a nurse and later opened a private clinic in 2015. Her family said financial disputes and allegations of embezzlement led to the falling out with Mehdi.
Sanaa, where Priya is imprisoned, is under the control of Houthi rebels, complicating diplomatic intervention and legal proceedings. The volatile political situation in Yemen has posed significant challenges for those attempting to navigate its judicial system.
The case has sparked concern among human rights groups and Indian diaspora organizations, which have called for urgent intervention to secure clemency and a stay on the reported execution.
