Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse from Kerala, is set to be executed in Yemen on July 16 after being convicted of the murder of a Yemeni man. Her death sentence was approved last year by the President of Yemen, and Indian authorities say they have been in constant touch with her family and the local officials.

According to sources from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), they have been closely following the case and providing all possible assistance to Nimisha's family.

Who is Nimisha Priya?

Nimisha shifted to Yemen in 2008 in order to help support her parents financially. After working in several hospitals, she set up her own clinic in 2014 with the help of Talal Abdo Mahdi, as Yemeni law requires foreign nationals to partner with a local to start a business.

However, their partnership saw a fallout. Nimisha later filed a complaint against Mahdi, leading to his arrest in 2016. After his release, Nimisha’s family alleged that he kept threatening her.

In an attempt to retrieve her confiscated passport, Nimisha allegedly gave Mahdi an injection containing sedatives. But he reportedly died from an overdose. She was taken into custody while attempting to leave the country and was found guilty of murder in 2018.

Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council later confirmed the conviction in November 2023.

Yemen has some of the strictest laws in the world, where the death penalty can be given for several offenses, including murder, drug trafficking, adultery, and even leaving Islam.

Under Yemeni law, a person sentenced to death can be spared if the victim’s family agrees to accept "blood money", which acts as compensation. However, the decision lies completely with the victim’s family, including how much they want.

Nimisha’s mother, who works as a house help in Kochi, sold her house to fight the case. “I am deeply grateful to the Indian and Kerala governments, as well as the committee formed to save her, for all the support provided so far. But this is my final plea -- please help us save her life. Time is running out,” she said.

According to a report by Manorama Online, talks with the victim’s family came to a stop in September 2024. The lawyer appointed by the Indian Embassy in Yemen, Abdullah Ameer, reportedly demanded a pre-negotiation fee of $20,000 (around ₹16.6 lakh).

The MEA had paid $19,871 in July 2023, but Ameer asked for a total of $40,000, to be paid in two parts before he would continue. The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, a group of supporters and activists, managed to raise the first half of the amount through crowdfunding. But later, the group reportedly faced issues in keeping donors informed about how the money was being used.

The Indian government earlier this year said that it was tracking the case closely and offering all help needed. But Nimisha’s mother fears time is running out.

As of now, her execution is scheduled for next week, and her family and supporters are still hoping for a last-minute breakthrough.

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