Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who has been on death row in Yemen for the murder of a local national, is scheduled to be executed on July 16, according to official sources. The confirmation comes after Yemeni President last year approved her death sentence, bringing the high-profile case to a critical juncture.
Priya, a native of Kerala, had moved to Yemen in 2008 to financially support her family. After working in various hospitals, she eventually opened her own clinic. To comply with Yemeni laws that require a local partner for foreigners to run a business, she partnered with Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2014—who would later become the victim in the murder case.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Indian government has been closely monitoring the case and providing consistent support to both Priya’s family and legal team. “We have been in regular touch with the local authorities and her family, and have rendered all possible assistance,” an MEA source told NDTV. Officials also confirmed that they continue to follow the matter with urgency.
The case has sparked widespread attention in India and abroad, with several human rights groups and public figures calling for clemency or diplomatic intervention. Over the past year, various campaigns have been launched seeking an alternative to the death penalty, including the payment of "blood money" to the victim’s family under Yemeni law.
As the execution date approaches, pressure is mounting on both Indian and Yemeni authorities to seek a last-minute resolution. Priya’s family and supporters have made multiple appeals to the Indian government to step in diplomatically to halt the execution and explore legal avenues for her release or sentence commutation.
With July 16 fast approaching, the Nimisha Priya case remains one of the most closely watched international legal issues involving an Indian national, raising concerns over the treatment of foreign workers and the complexities of international law and diplomacy.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)