Wed Jan 01 13:04:19 UTC 2025: ## Indian Government Assists Death Row Nurse in Yemen

**Sana’a, Yemen/New Delhi, India –** The Indian government is providing all possible assistance to Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse sentenced to death in Yemen, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Tuesday. Priya, a native of Palakkad, Kerala, was convicted in 2020 for the alleged murder of her Yemeni partner, Talal Abdo Mehdi, in 2017. Her appeal was dismissed in November 2023, although the possibility of paying blood money to the victim’s family remains.

Priya’s family alleges the death resulted from an overdose of sedatives administered during a dispute over embezzled funds and her confiscated passport. Despite reports that Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi approved her execution, hopes for her release persist. The “Save Nimisha Priya International Council” is negotiating with the victim’s family for a pardon in exchange for blood money.

However, these negotiations have stalled due to a dispute over payment to the lawyer representing Priya. The council, which has already transferred $20,000 to the lawyer via the Indian Embassy in Yemen, is withholding the remaining $20,000 pending an accounting of the funds already received.

Priya’s mother, Prema Kumari, recently visited her daughter in prison after a protracted legal battle to obtain permission to travel to Yemen, which had previously been restricted for Indian nationals. She remains in Yemen, continuing to advocate for her daughter’s release. The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, reiterated the government’s commitment to providing all necessary assistance to Priya and her family throughout this ordeal.

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