New Delhi, July 8, 2025 : An Indian nurse from Kerala, Nimisha Priya, is set to be executed in Yemen on July 16, 2025, after being convicted in a high-profile murder case involving a Yemeni national. The decision, recently upheld by the Yemeni President, has triggered urgent diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to save her life.

Nimisha, a trained nurse from Palakkad district, had moved to Yemen in 2008 in search of better work opportunities. Like many Indian medical professionals working abroad, she initially served at a private clinic and later opened a medical facility of her own in Sana’a with the help of a Yemeni partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi.

Their professional relationship, however, turned hostile. Reports from her family and support organizations allege that Nimisha was subjected to physical abuse and that Mahdi took control of her passport and finances, effectively restricting her freedom. In an attempt to retrieve her passport and escape the situation, Nimisha allegedly sedated Mahdi with the help of another individual in 2017. The sedative overdose, however, led to his death.

Following the incident, Nimisha was arrested and charged with murder. Yemeni courts convicted her and sentenced her to death by execution in 2018. Her appeals were subsequently rejected by the Supreme Judicial Council of Yemen in 2023. Most recently, the country’s President gave final approval for her execution, which is now scheduled for mid-July.

The case has stirred emotions in India and drawn attention to the often precarious situations faced by migrant workers in foreign legal systems. Nimisha’s family, backed by various humanitarian groups, is now pursuing what could be the only lifeline left - blood money, or “diyya” under Yemeni law. This Sharia-based provision allows the victim’s family to pardon the accused in exchange for financial compensation.

Efforts to raise the necessary funds, estimated to be several lakh U.S. dollars are currently underway. Her supporters say they have managed to collect a portion of the required amount but continue to face difficulties in establishing direct communication with the victim’s family, which is essential for the pardon process.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has acknowledged the case and confirmed that it is offering consular assistance. In April 2024, Yemen permitted Nimisha’s mother and daughter to visit her in prison, a rare move seen as a window of hope for negotiation and reconciliation. However, time is rapidly running out.

Human rights advocates have also raised serious concerns about the fairness of Nimisha’s trial. They argue that she did not have access to an interpreter during court proceedings and was unaware of her legal rights, a significant issue given the Arabic-only legal documentation and court processes in Yemen.

The situation now hinges on a successful negotiation with the victim’s family and a large fundraising effort over the next few days. For Nimisha, her family, and supporters across India and abroad, the countdown has begun to what may be a life-or-death turning point.

As her execution date nears, the case has become a symbol of both the legal vulnerability of migrant workers abroad and the urgent need for cross-border legal aid and intervention in complex international cases.