With the execution date for Indian nurse Nimisha Priya fast approaching, calls are growing for India’s Ministry of External Affairs to step in. The 37-year-old from Kerala faces execution in Yemen on July 16, following her 2018 conviction for murder.
Her husband, Tomy Thomas, confirmed ongoing efforts at both the state and central levels. Speaking to ANI, Thomas said he had recently met with Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, who extended support to Priya’s mother during a video call. He also mentioned being in regular contact with his wife through voice and text messages.
“The Central government, State government and the MEA have been making efforts, and we expect a positive response,” Thomas said. “Our advocate is doing everything possible.”
The urgency around Priya’s case has drawn attention from lawmakers. Communist Party of India (CPI) MP Sandosh Kumar sent a formal appeal to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar this week, urging immediate diplomatic and humanitarian intervention.
In his letter, Kumar described the case as deeply troubling. He pointed to reports that Priya had endured prolonged abuse and coercion by a Yemeni business partner. She was allegedly denied her passport and lived under constant fear. The situation escalated, leading to a fatal incident that resulted in her conviction.
“Her case has shaken the conscience of the public,” Kumar wrote. “The case has raised red flags over the absence of adequate legal safeguards, as well as the humanitarian toll it appears to be taking.”
Her death sentence was reaffirmed in Yemen in November 2023. With no formal diplomatic ties between India and Yemen, her situation presents a complex challenge. But Kumar emphasized one possible route: the payment of diyat, or blood money, a provision in Yemeni law that allows for resolution with the victim’s family.
“The CPI has stood by Nimisha’s family over the years,” he added. “We believe this window for negotiation must be pursued, but it requires the Indian government’s full involvement.”
So far, the Ministry of External Affairs has acknowledged the case publicly. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters, “We are aware of the sentencing of Ms. Nimisha Priya in Yemen. We understand that the family is exploring relevant options. The government is extending all possible help in the matter.”
Yet with the execution date just days away, urgency is increasing.
For Priya’s family, the effort is about more than legal relief. It’s about safeguarding an Indian citizen in a country where protections are minimal and recourse is limited.
Advocates say urgent diplomacy and talks over blood money may be the last hope to stop an irreversible outcome.
Calls for action continue to come from various quarters. The appeal, ultimately, is to reaffirm the government’s responsibility to protect citizens caught in extreme situations abroad.
