Nation

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Nimisha Priya, a 37-year-old nurse from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, is on the brink of execution in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a. According to human rights activist Samuel Jerome Baskaran, who represents her mother, the Yemeni authorities have scheduled the execution for July 16, 2025, though neither the Indian Embassy nor India’s Ministry of External Affairs has provided official confirmation .

Priya first travelled to Yemen in 2008, seeking better income opportunities. She worked in government-run hospitals before setting up her own clinic in partnership with Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2015. Yemeni regulations require a local partner for a foreigner to own a medical practice . However, what began as a professional collaboration quickly deteriorated.

According to Priya, Mahdi allegedly seized control of her finances, manipulated documents to falsely claim they were married, and withheld her passport—effectively trapping her in Yemen. She accused him of emotional and physical abuse and alleged that attempts to seek help from local police in 2016 resulted in her own arrest instead .

The situation turned fatal in 2017, when Priya attempted to retrieve her passport by sedating Mahdi. The dosage reportedly worsened, causing his death. Together with a local assistant named Hanan, she allegedly dismembered his body and disposed of it in a water tank .

A trial court in Sana’a convicted her of murder in 2018, sentencing her to death. The sentence was upheld by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023, and later by Houthi judicial authorities under President Rashad al-Alimi’s approval in December 2024 .

India’s efforts to intervene have faced minimal progress due to the complex political reality: Sana’a is controlled by Houthi forces, with whom New Delhi lacks formal diplomatic relations. While India maintains official ties with Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, those channels are ineffective for this case .

Despite these barriers, the Indian government has reportedly been in “regular touch” with Yemeni authorities and Priya’s family. In June 2024, funds totalling US $40,000 were transferred to the Indian Embassy in Sana’a toward “diyya” or blood money—an accepted form of clemency under Yemeni law. Priya’s mother, Prema Kumari, sold her home and personally travelled to Sana’a to pursue clemency negotiations .

Samuel Jerome Baskaran confirms that the public prosecutor has issued an execution order to the prison, calling July 16 the likely date. However, he asserts that "options are still open," suggesting possible last‑minute diplomatic or humanitarian interventions.

The case has drawn attention from human rights groups and public campaigns, urging the Indian government and international community to act swiftly. Observers highlight the disparity in legal access; Priya’s trial was conducted in Arabic without legal translation or proper representation—raising serious concerns about the fairness of the proceedings.

Nimisha Priya’s death sentence highlights the perils faced by migrant workers in regions with weak governance and limited legal safeguards. Her case raises questions about how legal rights, diplomatic leverage, and humanitarian considerations intersect when an Indian citizen is tried abroad—especially in territories with no working embassy or recognized diplomatic channels.

Nimisha Priya remains detained in Houthi-controlled Sana’a, her life hanging in the balance. The Indian government’s diplomatic efforts, family negotiations, and legal campaigns all face stiff barriers. With time running out, the world watches to see if a last-minute pardon or blood-money agreement can avert finality—and save an Indian life under imminent threat.