Indian Nurse Nimisha Priya To Be Executed In Yemen on July 16: Report

Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who was convicted of murdering a Yemeni citizen in 2017, is scheduled to be executed on July 16 in Yemen, according to a report by The Indian Express, citing a social worker involved in negotiations to save her life.

Priya, 37, a native of Kerala’s Palakkad district, was sentenced to death for the murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mehdi. She is currently imprisoned in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, which remains under the control of the Houthi militia.

Social worker Samuel Jerome Baskaran, who has been mediating between Yemeni officials and the victim's family, confirmed that Yemen’s public prosecutor has issued a letter to the prison authorities instructing that the execution be carried out on July 16.

“We are still hopeful that there are options left,” Baskaran said, adding that intervention from the Indian government could still potentially save Priya’s life. He is expected to travel to Yemen soon to continue negotiations with Talal’s family, though he noted they have not responded to a recent offer for a settlement.

Case Background

Priya had moved to Yemen in 2011 to work as a nurse. In order to open a medical clinic, which requires a Yemeni partner under local law, she entered a business partnership with Talal Abdo Mehdi. However, their professional relationship reportedly deteriorated over time.

According to court documents, Priya allegedly sedated Talal in an attempt to retrieve her passport, which he had taken from her. The sedation reportedly led to his death due to a drug overdose. Priya, along with a Yemeni colleague named Hanan, was then accused of dismembering Talal’s body and disposing of it in a water tank.

She was arrested and convicted by a Yemeni trial court in July 2017. In 2024, Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council upheld her death sentence, which was subsequently approved by President Rashad al-Alimi.

Indian Government Responds

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that it remains in regular contact with local authorities in Yemen as well as Priya’s family. “We have been in regular touch with local authorities and her family members and rendered all possible assistance. We continue to closely follow the matter,” government sources told ANI.

The case has been particularly complex, as the Yemeni embassy in India stated earlier this year that much of the judicial process has been overseen by the Houthi militia, not Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Appeal And Diplomatic Efforts

Human rights groups and activists have urged the Indian government to intensify diplomatic efforts to secure clemency or a reprieve for Priya. Some have called for invoking “diya”, a system in Islamic law that allows for a pardon if the victim's family accepts financial compensation.

Earlier this year, efforts were made to initiate such a settlement, but the victim's family has so far not agreed to a compromise.

Priya’s family in India has also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene diplomatically to stop the execution. Her daughter, who now lives in Kerala, has been vocal in her plea for government support, saying her mother made a grave mistake but deserves a chance at life.