Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya to be executed in Yemen on July 16, Indian embassy confirms order

Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse sentenced to death in Yemen, faces execution on July 16. Efforts are underway to secure a reprieve, with the Indian government and humanitarian groups working to overturn the sentence. 

New Delhi: Reports indicate that Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse from Kerala sentenced to death in Yemen, is scheduled to be executed on July 16. According to sources, prison authorities have received official orders for the execution, which were issued by the Public Prosecutor's Office in Yemen.

Ongoing efforts

Samuel John, who is mediating discussions in Yemen on behalf of various humanitarian groups, stated that the Indian Embassy has confirmed the execution order. The timing of the order is particularly alarming as efforts are still ongoing to secure a reprieve or overturn the sentence.

Background

Nimisha Priya, originally from Palakkad, Kerala, was working as a nurse in Yemen when she was accused and later convicted of murdering a Yemeni citizen. was arrested in July 2017 and was sentenced to death in 2020. She has been imprisoned in Yemen ever since, with her case drawing international attention and appeals from various rights groups and Indian officials.

Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, confirmed that, as per the request of Nimisha Priya’s family, $40,000 was transferred to the victim’s family through the Ministry of External Affairs' official account. Discussions between the two families are ongoing to determine the next course of action. The Indian government has also facilitated travel arrangements for Nimisha Priya’s mother to Yemen, authorized a power of attorney for negotiations, and ensured legal assistance using ministry funds. The Action Council also assisted in delivering the blood money to Yemen. However, the minister emphasized that the negotiations between the two families must succeed for a resolution to be reached.