Indian Nurse On Death Row In Yemen; Family Still 'Hopeful' For Pardon

Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala, has been on death row in Yemen since 2017 for her involvement in the murder of a Yemeni national. On December 31, 2024, the war-torn country's President Rashad al-Alimi signed off on the death sentence, which will reportedly be executed in a month. Priya's family in India stays 'hopeful' amid diplomatic efforts to bring the Indian national back home. India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that they are providing support to Priya's family for her release.

"The Indian government is aware of Nimisha Priya’s sentencing and is assisting her family in exploring all legal avenues," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement. Meanwhile, Priya's family has reportedly also agreed to enter a 'blood money' deal with Yemen to secure a pardon for her.

Our response to media queries regarding the case of Ms. Nimisha Priya:https://t.co/DlviLboqKG pic.twitter.com/tSgBlmitCy

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) December 31, 2024

Background of the Case

Nimisha Priya, a nurse and mother-of-two originally from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, moved to Yemen for work in 2008. After working in various hospitals, she opened her own clinic. However, in 2017, a dispute with her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, reportedly took a tragic turn.

Nimisha Priya allegedly stands accused of the murder of Mahdi, a Yemeni national who met his demise in July 2017. The prosecution alleges that Priya injected Mahdi with sedatives to retrieve her passport from his possession. Unfortunately, Mahdi succumbed to an overdose, leading to grave charges against Priya.

Reports suggest that Priya, along with her colleague Hanan, a Yemeni national, went to gruesome lengths after Mahdi's death. They allegedly dismembered Mahdi's body and disposed of it in a water tank. Priya was sentenced capital punishment in 2018, while Hanan was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Efforts By Nimisha Priya's Family 

Nimisha Priya's family in India has made numerous efforts to secure her release. Her mother, Premakumari, told The New Indian Express, “I’m still hopeful that Nimisha will come back to us this New Year. I believe every Indian will support me and the council in this mission." Premakumari has been in Yemen since April 2024 to negotiate her daughter's case.

Priya's husband, Tomy Thomas told Hans India, “Numerous people are working to resolve this issue and we all are hoping that we will be able to connect with the family of Mahdi who has to pardon Nimisha. Our daughter at times connects with her mother, but she is missing a mother’s attention and love."

Thomas has reportedly agreed to enter a 'blood money' deal with Yemeni officials. Under Yemen's Sharia law, blood money refers to compensation agreed upon by the victim's family to secure the release of the convicted. For this negotiation to transpire Priya's family must physically travel to Yemen, which Premakumari agreed to.

However, a travel ban imposed by the Indian government in 2017 prevents its citizens from visiting war-torn Yemen without official permission. Recognising the gravity of the situation, the Delhi High Court intervened in November 2023, directing the Centre to relax its notification and allow Premakumari to journey to Yemen.

In April 2024, Premakumari left for the West-Asian country to negotiate her daughter's release. Premakumari, along with Samuel Jerome, a member of the Save Nimishipriya International Action Council departed for their journey to Aden from Kochi Airport on the morning of April 20. “My heart is breaking, but there is some peace from within. It’s been a long time and we struggled a lot, but at least now I can go," she told the news portal Monaroma. 

Premakumari flew to Mumbai to board a special flight to Yemen at 5 p.m. The aircraft is used to transport Yemeni citizens in India for unavoidable purposes. "They will travel to the Aden International Airport in Yemen from Mumbai on April 20. From Aden, they will travel by road to Sanaa,” said Subhash Chandran K R, a lawyer who represented her in the Delhi HC.