Relatives of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya are urgently working to commute her death sentence as her execution date approaches in war-torn Yemen. Set for Wednesday, Priya has been on death row since a court in the capital, Sanaa, sentenced her in 2020 for the murder of her former business partner, a Yemeni national. The victim’s body was discovered in a water tank in 2017. This case has captured significant media attention in India, prompting human rights groups to appeal for clemency.
Amnesty International called on the Houthis, who control Sanaa, to halt the execution and establish a moratorium on all death sentences. The organization emphasized that “the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.” The complexities of the situation are heightened by the lack of formal diplomatic relations between New Delhi and the Houthi authorities, complicating efforts for her release.
Samuel Joseph, a social worker assisting Priya’s family, expressed cautious optimism. “I am spiriting the efforts here, and by god’s grace, we got people who are helping. The government of India is directly involved,” he stated. Priya is accused of injecting her business partner with a lethal dose of sedatives. Her family contends that she acted in self-defense against an abusive partner who had withheld her passport amid the ongoing civil war.
The trial was conducted in Arabic without a translator, raising concerns about her legal representation. To support her case, activists and lawyers formed the Save Nimisha Priya Action Council in 2020. Rafeek Ravuthar, an activist within the council, highlighted the challenges in negotiations due to Yemen’s unstable environment and the absence of an Indian embassy. So far, the council has raised approximately 5 million rupees (nearly $58,000) to assist Priya.
Political pressure is mounting, with officials from her home state of Kerala urging Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene. Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has formally appealed to the Prime Minister, emphasizing that this case deserves sympathy and immediate attention.
In February, Kirti Vardhan Singh, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, confirmed that the government prioritizes the welfare of Indians abroad and is offering all possible support in this case. He noted that the resolution regarding Priya’s situation is dependent on negotiations between the families involved.
Priya has lived in Yemen since 2008, part of a larger trend of individuals from Kerala seeking opportunities in the Middle East. Initially, she worked as a nurse in a local hospital, with aspirations of opening her own clinic. Support from her husband, Tomy Thomas, enabled her to establish a clinic in Sanaa in 2014.
However, the political turmoil in Yemen intensified when Houthi rebels took control of the capital, leading to a devastating civil war that has persisted since 2015. Many foreign nationals evacuated due to the escalating violence, but Priya chose to remain, determined to preserve her business and provide for her family.
With no formal diplomatic ties to the Houthis, the Indian government manages consular affairs through its embassy in Djibouti. This lack of direct representation complicates the efforts of those advocating for Priya’s release, as communication and legal assistance become more challenging amidst the conflict.
As of 2024, Yemen ranks among the countries with the highest execution rates, according to Amnesty International. The organization reported at least one confirmed execution by the Houthis in areas under their control this year, raising concerns about Priya’s impending fate.
Priya’s mother, a domestic worker who sold her home to fund her daughter’s legal defense, has been in Yemen for over a year to facilitate negotiations. Meanwhile, Priya’s husband and young daughter remain in Kerala, holding onto hope for her release. “My wife is very good, she is very loving,” Thomas remarked. “That is the sole reason I am with her, supporting her and will do so till the end.”
The situation remains critical as time runs short for Nimisha Priya, with her family and supporters striving to secure her future in an environment fraught with uncertainty.