The Indian government has pledged its full assistance in the case of Nimisha Priya, an Indian national who has been sentenced to death in Yemen. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed on Tuesday that the government is providing all possible support as Priya’s family continues to explore “relevant options.” This development follows a recent decision by Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi to approve Priya’s death sentence.
Priya, a 36-year-old woman from Palakkad, Kerala, was arrested in July 2017 in connection with the murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mehdi. She was sentenced to death by a Yemeni court in 2020. Despite efforts to secure her release through the Islamic practice of “diyat” (blood money), which involves compensating the victim’s family, those attempts failed. As a result, Priya’s death sentence was upheld by Yemeni authorities earlier this week.
Jaiswal stated that the Indian government is aware of the situation and reiterated its commitment to offering help, though he did not provide further details. The family of Priya is exploring various legal and diplomatic avenues in the case.
Currently held in the central prison in Sana’a, Priya had moved to Yemen in 2009 to work as a nurse. In 2015, she opened a clinic in partnership with Mehdi, but their relationship reportedly soured due to financial disagreements, culminating in the murder accusation in 2017. Priya, along with another Yemeni national, was arrested for the crime.
Priya’s mother, Prema Kumari, 57, visited Sana’a earlier this year to negotiate with the victim’s family in an effort to avert the death penalty. Supported by the Indian expatriate community in Yemen, she helped raise part of the $40,000 demanded by Mehdi’s family. However, despite raising over $19,800, the full sum could not be secured, which hindered the resolution.
Priya’s appeal against the death sentence was rejected by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023, but the option for blood money remains open, as her family continues to explore any possibility to save her life.
