Mon Jul 14 08:07:21 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**India Desperate to Save Nurse from Yemen Execution**

**NEW DELHI, July 14, 2025** – The Indian government is scrambling to prevent the execution of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse sentenced to death in Yemen for the murder of a Yemeni man. The government assured the Supreme Court today that it is making every effort to save Ms. Priya’s life, acknowledging the significant challenges in communicating with Yemeni authorities amid the ongoing civil war.

Attorney General R. Venkataramani told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that the government is “keen to save one of its citizens,” but admitted difficulties in formal requests due to the volatile situation in Yemen. Communication was sent to the local prosecutor as late as yesterday to suspend the execution.

The case reached the Supreme Court via a petition filed by the ‘Nimishapriya – International Action Council’, who highlighted that Ms. Priya is scheduled to be executed on July 16. While they have not received official confirmation of the execution date, the organization sought the court’s intervention to pressure the government into action.

The prosecution arises from events that began in 2015 when Ms. Priya partnered with a local man, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to open a clinic. According to the petition, Mr. Mahdi allegedly took control of the clinic’s finances, threatened and tortured Ms. Priya, even forging documents claiming they were married. In 2017, an attempt to sedate Mr. Mahdi to recover her passport resulted in his death from an overdose.

While the option of paying “blood money” (diyah) to the victim’s family remains open, negotiations have stalled due to the civil war and travel restrictions. The Attorney General suggested further negotiation and a possible solution if the amount of blood money offered were increased. The organization representing Ms. Priya is willing to pay more.

The Supreme Court has listed the case for further hearing on July 18, urging both the government and the petitioner to provide updates on any developments.

The case has drawn attention to the plight of Indian workers in conflict zones and the challenges of providing consular assistance in unstable regions. Ms. Priya’s family, including her 12-year-old daughter, live in India and are said to be clinging to hope.

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