Sanaa, July 9: Kerala-born nurse Nimisha Priya, who was convicted of murdering Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mehdi, is scheduled to be executed on July 16 after spending the last three years in a Yemeni prison.

The news of the impending execution was confirmed on Tuesday by negotiator S.J. Bhaskaran, who is preparing to travel to Yemen to engage in further discussions regarding her case.

Nimisha’s husband, Tomy Thomas, along with their daughter, remain hopeful that they can persuade Mehdi’s family to resolve the case by accepting the payment of blood money, a legal provision in Yemen that can commute the death sentence. However, so far, Mehdi’s family has not responded positively to this offer.

Nimisha Priya hails from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district. She moved to Yemen in 2008 to financially support her parents, who were daily wage earners. After working in various hospitals, she established her own clinic, gaining a foothold in the local healthcare sector.

Tragedy struck in 2017 following a dispute with her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mehdi. According to reports, Nimisha attempted to retrieve her confiscated passport by injecting Mehdi with sedatives. Unfortunately, an overdose resulted in his death.

Nimisha was arrested while trying to leave Yemen and was convicted of murder in 2018. A trial court in Sanaa sentenced her to death in 2020. This verdict was upheld by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023, though it allowed the possibility of sparing her execution if blood money was paid to the victim’s family.

The case has attracted widespread attention and sparked concern over the safety and legal protection of Indian nationals abroad. Nimisha’s family and supporters continue their efforts to secure clemency and prevent her execution.

Her mother, Prema Kumari, 57, has been at the forefront of the campaign to save her daughter, traveling to Sanaa to negotiate directly with the victim’s family. She is supported by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, a group of non-resident Indian social workers based in Yemen who have been actively advocating for Nimisha’s release and fair treatment.

As the execution date approaches, hopes remain that a peaceful resolution can be reached through dialogue and the traditional practice of blood money, potentially sparing Nimisha from the death penalty.