PALAKKAD: Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who is on death row in Yemen, has been informed that her execution is scheduled for 16 July. Her husband, Tomy Thomas, confirmed this while speaking to The New Indian Express over the phone on Friday.
According to Thomas, Nimisha conveyed the news through WhatsApp text and voice messages sent last week from the Central Prison in Sana’a, where she is currently held. She allegedly told him that the chairman of the prison personally informed her of the decision and the date.
“They told her about the execution date and she was very upset. I tried to comfort her through messages, assuring her that every possible effort is being made for her release,” Thomas said.
Priya, a native of Palakkad, has been on death row since 2020 after a Yemeni court sentenced her for the alleged murder of Talal Abdo Mehdi, a Yemeni businessman, in July 2017. Her final appeal was dismissed by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023, although the court left open the possibility of a pardon if the victim’s family accepted blood money under Yemeni law.
Despite the claims of execution, official sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia have not confirmed any such development. India does not have an embassy in Yemen, and Nimisha is imprisoned in Sana’a, a region under Houthi control, making direct diplomatic intervention difficult. The ongoing civil conflict in Yemen has severely limited access for foreign missions and complicated communication.
On Thursday, Thomas met Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Raj Bhavan along with MLA Chandy Oommen to discuss the case. “The Governor immediately contacted officials at the Ministry of External Affairs in front of me and promised all possible support. He also spoke to Nimisha’s mother, Prema Kumari, who is now in Yemen over the phone and assured her of help,” Thomas added.
Thomas said that the Yemeni prison allows inmates limited access to WhatsApp to communicate with family, and he remains in regular contact with Nimisha. “She informs me about everything happening there. I keep telling her to stay strong, and that efforts by the Indian and Kerala governments, along with those working for her cause, will succeed,” he said.
Thomas also informed Nimisha about his Thursday meeting with the Governor and expressed his gratitude to Indian diplomats and the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council for their ongoing efforts to prevent the execution.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a petition on 14 July (Monday) seeking urgent intervention to save the life of Nimisha Priya.
The plea was filed by the 'Nimisha Priya – International Action Council', represented by senior advocate Raghenth Basant and advocate Subhash Chandran K.R. Taking note of the urgency, a Bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi directed the petitioners to serve a copy of the plea to the office of the Attorney General of India.
“In view of the serious and urgent nature of the matter, we request the Union of India to inform the court, through the Attorney General, about the steps taken by the Government of India in this case,” the court said in its order.
