How can Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya be saved from July 16 execution in Yemen? Know what family, government are doing

Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse from Kerala’s Palakkad district, is facing imminent execution in Yemen after being convicted of murdering a Yemeni citizen. She is scheduled to be executed on July 16, according to media reports. As the deadline for her execution nears, Nimisha’s case has drawn widespread attention in India, especially in Kerala, with activists and human rights groups urging the Indian government to intensify its diplomatic efforts to secure her release or at least delay the execution.

Who is Nimisha Priya?

Nimisha Priya was raised in Kerala in a family of daily wage workers. She was trained as a nurse and in 2008 sought better opportunities in Yemen. Over the years, she practiced medicine in several hospitals, and in 2014, she opened her own clinic in partnership with Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi - something that foreign nationals were required to do to start working in the business in Yemen.

Nimisha and Mahdi soon had tensions, and after major disputes, Nimisha was said to lodge a complaint against Mahdi, leading him to be jailed temporarily before being released. Nimisha's family claimed that Mahdi had taken her passport and had continued to intimidate her. To get her documents back, Nimisha had allegedly put a sedative into him, but it was enough to lead to his death from overdose. She was arrested in 2018 in an attempt to escape Yemen after the incident, and she was later convicted of murder, which under Yemeni law is punishable by death.

In November 2023, Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council upheld the death sentence. President Rashad al-Alimi also gave formal approval for her execution in 2023.

What Is the Indian Government Doing?

In response to growing concern over her fate, the Indian government has stepped up its engagement, attempting to intervene diplomatically and legally. According to reports from ANI, Indian officials have been in regular contact with Yemeni authorities and Nimisha's family. The government has extended all possible assistance and is closely monitoring developments.

The 'Blood Money' Option

Efforts have also been made through Islamic legal provisions for clemency, particularly the option of diyat, or "blood money" — a compensation paid to the victim's family in exchange for a pardon. However, progress has been slow and complicated by Yemen’s ongoing political instability and the absence of formal diplomatic channels with the Houthi rebels, who control much of the region.

Nimisha's Mother Had Travelled to Yemen

Nimisha's mother, Premakumari, travelled to Yemen last year to negotiate directly with the victim’s family. She is being assisted by a network of non-resident Indians (NRIs) working behind the scenes to raise the money and pursue the possibility of forgiveness from the deceased's relatives.

A Race Against Time

According to Samuel Jerome Baskaran, a social worker closely involved in the negotiations, a letter has already been issued by the public prosecutor instructing jail authorities to carry out the execution. He warned that while time is running out, diplomatic and legal avenues are not entirely closed, and further efforts may still avert the hanging.