Family's Last Push to Save Indian Nurse on Death Row in Yemen

As Indian nurse Nimisha Priya faces execution in Yemen for murder, her family is striving for a last-minute pardon from her victim's family, navigating legal and emotional hurdles in a poignant plea for mercy.

Nimisha Priya, a 34-year-old Indian nurse, finds herself on the brink of execution in war-ravaged Yemen, with her family undertaking a desperate mission to secure her release. Convicted for the murder of her former business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, whose dismembered body was discovered in 2017, Nimisha is currently imprisoned in the capital city of Sanaa. Following the approval of her death sentence by Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Houthi rebels' Supreme Political Council, her family is left with limited options and time is running out.

In Yemen's Sharia law system, the only path to averting the execution lies in obtaining a pardon from the victim's family. Nimisha's family and advocates have tirelessly worked to raise diyah, or "blood money," aiming to negotiate with Mahdi's relatives over the past several months. Samuel Jerome, a Yemen-based social worker acting on behalf of Nimisha's mother, emphasized that the family's willingness to pardon is crucial to halting the impending execution. "If they consent, the sentence can be immediately stopped,” he explained.

Due to Yemen's regulations preventing direct contact between the parties, Nimisha's family must rely on hired negotiators to mediate the discussions. Subhash Chandran, a lawyer who has previously supported Nimisha's family in India, informed the media that they have successfully crowdfunded $40,000 for negotiations, but complications in fund transfers have hindered progress. India's foreign ministry has also confirmed that they are engaged in providing assistance to the family as they navigate this troubling ordeal.

With her husband, Tony Thomas, speaking on her behalf, he revealed the emotional toll on the family, particularly on their 13-year-old daughter who longs for her mother's presence. Nimisha, who moved to Yemen at the age of 19 in pursuit of a better life, faced various hardships stemming from escalating conflicts in the region, yet she continued working to support her family back home.

When tensions heightened with the onset of Yemen's civil war in 2014, Nimisha’s relationship with Mahdi soured, leading to a tragic series of events. Following his demise, she was accused of murder, although her defense argued that she did not intend to kill him during an altercation over her passport. After facing a local court's death sentence in 2020, her family's appeal to Yemen’s Supreme Court was denied in 2023, intensifying their sense of urgency in these final days before her scheduled execution.

"My heart says that we can arrive at a settlement and save Nimisha's life," Mr. Thomas expressed. Amid the chaos and uncertain future, the family's unwavering hope for a resolution remains poignant. As they continue to navigate this harrowing chapter, they hold onto the possibility of a mother’s vital presence in their daughter’s life.