Nurse from Kerala convicted for the death of a Yemeni national, Indian government extends assistance
Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala, has been sentenced to death in Yemen after being convicted of killing Talal Abdo Mahdi, a Yemeni national, in 2017, reported moneycontrol.com.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirms awareness of the case, offering assistance to Nimisha Priya’s family
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Nimisha Priya, who moved to Yemen in 2008 to support her daily-wage laborer parents, had worked in private hospitals before deciding to open her own clinic
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In 2014, she came into contact with Mahdi, who promised to help her establish the clinic
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However, under Yemeni law, only nationals can own businesses, and Mahdi assisted her in setting up the clinic in 2015
Tensions later escalated between Priya and Mahdi, with Priya accusing him of abuse and of withholding her passport, which effectively trapped her in Yemen. Reports suggest that Mahdi falsely claimed to be her husband, further hindering her ability to seek help.
In an attempt to retrieve her passport, Priya allegedly injected Mahdi with sedatives, but after repeated attempts, Mahdi died from an overdose. Priya’s mother, Prema Kumari, has been in Yemen seeking to negotiate a reduction in the death sentence, including offering blood money to the victim’s family.
Despite efforts, the Yemeni Supreme Court rejected the appeal in 2023, and the death sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. The situation worsened after President Rashad al-Alimi approved the execution.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed its awareness of the case and is offering all possible assistance to Priya’s family in exploring options to address the sentence
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