Subhechcha Ganguly 
With just days left until her scheduled execution, efforts to save Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya from the death penalty in Yemen have intensified, though significant diplomatic hurdles remain. Priya, 37, who hails from Palakkad district, has been sentenced to death by the Houthi-controlled judiciary in Sana’a, Yemen’s capital, in connection with the murder of a Yemeni national, Talal Abdo Mahdi.
The Indian government has confirmed it is providing assistance to Priya’s family and is “closely monitoring” the case. However, India’s efforts are complicated by the fact that it has no formal diplomatic ties with the Houthi rebels, who control the area where Priya is imprisoned and where the verdict was upheld in 2023. India officially maintains diplomatic relations with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, led by President Rashad al-Alimi, not with the Houthis, whose governing authority is the Supreme Political Council.
There was earlier confusion regarding the execution order, as reports suggested the recognised government had signed off on it, but the Yemeni embassy in Delhi clarified that the case is under Houthi jurisdiction.
Family and Activist Push for “Blood Money” Deal
In a parallel effort, Nimisha Priya’s mother, Premakumari, travelled to Yemen last year, leveraging unofficial channels in a bid to negotiate “blood money” — a compensation to the victim’s family permissible under Yemeni law — to halt the execution. A human rights group, the Save Nimisha Priya Action Council, claims they have offered $1 million (around ₹8.5 crore) to Talal’s family but are still awaiting a formal response. They plan to reach out again in the coming days.
Social worker Samuel Jerome Baskaran, who is involved in negotiations on the ground, confirmed that a letter authorising the execution has already been issued by the public prosecutor to the jail.
The Case: Abuse, Desperation, and Death
Nimisha Priya moved to Yemen in 2008 to work as a nurse. After her husband and daughter returned to India in 2014 due to financial difficulties, she remained behind and attempted to start her own clinic. Due to local laws, she had to partner with a Yemeni national — Talal Abdo Mahdi — who allegedly manipulated documents to claim he was married to her and subjected her to prolonged abuse.
Priya has alleged that Mahdi confiscated her passport, exploited her financially, and physically abused her. In a desperate attempt to escape his control, she sedated him with the help of a local jail warden, which resulted in an unintentional overdose and his death.
With only a few days left until her execution, the clock is ticking for Indian authorities, human rights activists, and her family to find a resolution — either through last-minute diplomacy or a successful blood money settlement.
