Indian Nurse Nimisha Priya Faces Death Sentence in Yemen, Family Seeks Urgent Help
Indian Nurse Nimisha Priya Faces Death Sentence in Yemen; Family Strives to Save Her
Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse from Kerala, has been sentenced to death in Yemen, a ruling that has sent shockwaves through her family and community. She has been incarcerated since 2017 for allegedly killing a Yemeni man, Talal Abdo Mahdi. Recent reports indicate that her death sentence, now signed by the Yemeni President, is scheduled for execution within a month. The case has gained significant attention as efforts intensify to save her life.
The Indian government is closely monitoring the situation and has extended support to Priya’s family. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the government is assisting the family as they explore legal options and other measures to secure her safety.
Nimisha Priya, a trained nurse from Palakkad, Kerala, had been living in Yemen, working at a private hospital, and running her clinic with assistance from Mahdi, a Yemeni national. The relationship between the two soured, leading to allegations of manipulation and physical assault by Mahdi, according to Priya’s appeal. She claimed that Mahdi had stolen her wedding photographs, manipulated them to claim she was his wife, and took over her clinic’s finances. Mahdi’s alleged actions and subsequent altercations culminated in the tragic event that led to his death.
Since her conviction in 2018, Priya’s family has been tirelessly negotiating with Mahdi’s relatives to pay “blood money,” a compensation amount customary under Yemeni law for cases of murder. This sum could potentially secure forgiveness from Mahdi’s family, which is now her only hope for avoiding execution. However, despite appeals to the Yemeni Supreme Court in 2023, the rejection of their plea has heightened the family’s desperation.
Her mother, Prerna Kumari, has been making considerable sacrifices for her daughter. Living in Yemen to appeal to Mahdi’s family, she continues to advocate for forgiveness to prevent the death sentence from being carried out.
This case is a chilling reminder of the challenges faced by expatriates caught in foreign legal systems, particularly in regions fraught with conflict. As the days count down, public appeals and efforts from various quarters intensify to save Nimisha Priya, offering a glimmer of hope for her grieving family back home.
