With the clock ticking on a July 16 deadline, desperate efforts are being made to save Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya from execution in Sanaa.
Convicted in 2017 for the alleged murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi, her former business partner, Priya now faces death by execution unless a last-minute agreement is reached with the victim’s family.
Priya’s mother, Prema Kumari, is currently in Sanaa, working to negotiate a pardon. Under Yemen’s legal system, Priya can be granted clemency if the victim’s family accepts blood money — a form of financial compensation. In this case, the amount offered is roughly $1 million.
The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council has pledged to pay the full sum and even offered additional support, including educational assistance and migration options for Talal’s family. However, the victim’s relatives have so far rejected all offers.
The situation is further complicated by the ongoing conflict in Yemen. The Houthi rebels, who control Sanaa, have weakened the influence of Indian diplomatic authorities. The Indian embassy has limited capacity to intervene directly in the matter because of a lack of formal governance structures.
Priya, now 38, had opened a clinic in Yemen with the help of Talal. According to the prosecution, she injected him with sedatives in an attempt to retrieve her passport from his possession. However, he died from an alleged overdose.