India Engages ‘Friendly Nations’ to Save Kerala Nurse Sentenced to Death in Yemen

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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the Indian government is actively engaged with friendly foreign governments and Yemeni authorities in efforts to secure relief for Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse facing the death penalty in Yemen.

Priya, a 36-year-old from Kerala, was convicted in 2020 for the murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2017. She is currently on death row in Sana’a. The MEA stated that her execution has been deferred as discussions continue involving religious leaders, legal representatives, and the families of both Priya and the victim.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government is “in touch with the Yemeni government and with friendly governments to ensure the matter is handled with the utmost sensitivity.” He also confirmed that legal aid and consular assistance have been consistently provided since her arrest in 2017. A lawyer was appointed on behalf of her family, and the Indian embassy has arranged regular consular access during her detention.

Under Yemen’s Islamic law, the victim’s family can choose to accept diyah (blood money) instead of capital punishment. Efforts are underway to secure such a settlement. However, at least one member of Mahdi’s family has reportedly rejected any form of clemency, demanding that the death sentence be upheld.

Several community leaders and state politicians in Kerala have welcomed the temporary postponement of the execution. Religious scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar has played a key role in facilitating dialogue between the families, while political leaders have urged citizens to refrain from actions that could hamper sensitive diplomatic efforts.

Priya moved to Yemen in 2008 to work as a nurse and later opened a clinic with the victim. In 2017, she reportedly administered an injection to Mahdi in an attempt to recover her passport, leading to his death. She was arrested in August that year and sentenced in 2020. Her appeals were dismissed by higher Yemeni courts in 2023.

India’s Supreme Court recently stated that decisions regarding travel requests by her family to Yemen lie within the domain of the central government.

As the case remains under international and legal scrutiny, diplomatic engagement continues to be India’s primary channel for resolving the matter and seeking justice while ensuring her safety.