Yemen Lifts Death Sentence for Indian Nurse Nimisha Priya

Breakthrough Confirmed as Grand Mufti’s Office Announces Sentence Overturned

In a significant development offering immense relief, the death sentence of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who was facing execution in Yemen, has been officially cancelled. The announcement comes from the office of the Indian Grand Mufti, confirming a major breakthrough in the case.

Sentence Overturned After High-Level Meeting

A high-level deliberation held in Sanaa has resulted in the complete annulment of Nimisha Priya‘s death sentence. Her sentence had previously been suspended, but the latest decision formally overturns the capital punishment.

Tragic Turn of Events Led to Murder Conviction

Nimisha Priya, a 37-year-old nurse from Kerala, had relocated to Yemen for employment. She later partnered with a Yemeni national, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to establish a clinic in 2015. This arrangement was a legal measure, as foreign nationals cannot directly own businesses in the country.

The professional collaboration reportedly soured when Mahdi allegedly manipulated a photograph from a trip to India to falsely claim he was married to Nimisha Priya. Her family asserts that he then seized control of the clinic and began to extort her earnings. They also allege that Mahdi subjected her to severe abuse, including physical torture and drug-induced assaults, and confiscated her passport to prevent her escape.

Following an attempt to retrieve her passport by allegedly sedating Mahdi, a stronger dose was administered, leading to his death from an overdose. This incident resulted in Nimisha Priya‘s arrest and subsequent conviction for murder.

The number of Indian citizens imprisoned abroad has seen a concerning rise, with reports indicating over 8,000 Indians were incarcerated in foreign jails as of the end of 2022, highlighting the critical need for consular support and diplomatic intervention in such cases (Ministry of External Affairs, Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question 1142).