As Nimisha Priya Faces Death Penalty in Houthi-Controlled Yemen, India Seeks Diplomatic Resolution

As a nurse from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, Nimisha Priya, faces execution in Yemen on July 16, the Indian government is pulling out all the stops to prevent it.

Priya was convicted in 2020 for the murder of a Yemeni national, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2017. However, geopolitical tensions and legal complexities have hindered India’s efforts to secure a diplomatic breakthrough.

The case dates back to 2011, when Priya moved to Yemen to work as a nurse in Sana’a. Her husband and daughter returned to India in 2014 due to financial difficulties and escalating civil unrest. Priya stayed on and later partnered with Mahdi to open a clinic—a legal requirement for foreign medical professionals in Yemen.

Trouble began when Mahdi allegedly forged documents claiming he was married to Priya. She accused him of years of physical abuse, financial exploitation, and threats. He also allegedly confiscated her passport and used sedatives to control her. When she approached local authorities to report the abuse, Priya claims she was arrested instead of being protected.

In 2017, Priya allegedly attempted to sedate Mahdi in an effort to retrieve her passport and escape the country. However, the sedative proved fatal. With the help of a local woman named Hanan, Priya reportedly dismembered Mahdi’s body and disposed of it in a water tank.

A Yemeni court sentenced her to death in 2020, and the verdict was upheld by the Houthis’ Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. Priya remains imprisoned in Sana’a, under the control of the Iran-backed Houthi administration, complicating diplomatic efforts, especially since India has no formal diplomatic ties with the regime.

Despite this, the Indian government has been actively working behind the scenes. Officials are reportedly in regular contact with Yemeni authorities and Priya’s family.

In 2023, Priya’s mother, Premakumari, traveled to Yemen as Indian authorities explored the possibility of arranging a ‘diyat’, or blood money, as permitted under Yemeni law. However, the initiative faced setbacks due to complications in local negotiations.

Meanwhile, human rights organizations and citizen-led groups have launched urgent campaigns, calling for immediate intervention by the Indian government and international bodies to halt the execution and ensure a fair resolution.