Indian Nurse Nimisha Priya

Nimisha Priya, a 41-year-old Indian nurse from Kerala who was convicted of murdering a Yemeni citizen in 2017, is scheduled to be executed in Yemen on July 16, according to the Save Nimisha Priya Action Council. The council reported that Yemen’s Director General of Prosecution has instructed prison authorities to proceed with the execution.

Nimisha, who had been working in Yemen since 2008, was sentenced to death in 2020 for the murder of Talal Abdo Mahdi, a Yemeni national. The verdict was formally ratified by Yemeni President Rashad Al-Alimi on December 30, 2024, marking a final legal approval of capital punishment.

Attempts to Negotiate “Blood Money” Under Sharia Law

Under Yemeni Sharia law, the family of a murder victim has the legal right to pardon a convict in exchange for financial compensation, commonly referred to as blood money. The Save Nimisha Priya Action Council stated that they have offered USD 1 million (approximately ₹8.5 crore) to the victim’s family in an attempt to secure her release, but have yet to receive a concrete response.

“We are planning another urgent attempt to negotiate with the family over the next two days,” a council member told the press. “This is the last window of hope before the execution date.”

The Case

In 2015, Nimisha allegedly entered into a business partnership with Talal to open a clinic in Yemen, where foreign nationals are required to have local sponsorship. She later accused Talal of physically abusing her and withholding her passport, effectively trapping her in the country.

In 2017, Nimisha reportedly injected Talal with a sedative, which led to his death. Yemeni authorities arrested her shortly thereafter, and she was convicted of premeditated murder.

Global Appeals and Diplomatic Pressure

The case has drawn attention from human rights activists and Indian civil society groups. The Indian government is under growing pressure to intervene diplomatically, though official statements remain limited due to the ongoing conflict and lack of formal diplomatic presence in Yemen.

The Save Nimisha Priya Action Council has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs to take urgent steps to engage with Yemeni authorities and support the negotiations with the victim’s family.

As of now, unless a breakthrough is achieved through compensation or intervention, Nimisha Priya’s execution will proceed as scheduled on July 16, 2025.