Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, a native of Kerala, is facing execution in Yemen on July 16, 2025, after being convicted in a 2017 murder case.
The case has sparked urgent calls for diplomatic intervention from Indian officials and human rights advocates.
Nimisha was working in Yemen when she reportedly administered sedatives to her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in an attempt to recover her passport, which he had allegedly confiscated.
The dosage proved fatal, and Nimisha was convicted of murder. She has spent over seven years in prison, and all legal appeals have now been exhausted.
Supporters claim Nimisha was subjected to years of abuse, blackmail, and control by Mahdi, and that her actions were driven by desperation.
Her family and legal team have been trying to negotiate a blood-money (diya) settlement, a provision under Yemeni Islamic law where the victim’s family can forgive the offender in exchange for compensation.
However, the family has not yet agreed to any settlement.
With less than a week left before the execution date, public appeals are intensifying. Kerala MP K. Radhakrishnan has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging immediate diplomatic efforts.
However, the situation remains complex, as India has no formal diplomatic relations with Yemen’s Houthi-controlled region where she is imprisoned.
This case raises serious concerns about the rights of migrant workers abroad and the limits of diplomatic influence. Unless an agreement is reached with the victim’s family soon, Nimisha Priya could face the gallows in just days.
