Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya breaks silence from death row: ‘I’m appealing to the Indian Government to save me’

Dubai: Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, sentenced to death in Yemen, has made an emotional appeal to the Indian government to intervene urgently and help save her life, according to a report by NDTV.

Her execution is scheduled for July 16, and activists say her only remaining hope lies in securing a pardon from the family of the Yemeni man she was convicted of killing.

Speaking to NDTV on Friday, Babu John, an activist with the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, revealed that Nimisha has asked the Indian government — particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi — to act swiftly. “Nimisha is asking the Indian government to intervene quickly and she is hopeful that she will be saved when that happens,” John said.

This is one of the rare times Nimisha’s personal sentiments have been conveyed publicly, and it marks a critical moment in the campaign to save her.

According to the activist, Nimisha's family has offered $1 million (approximately Rs8.6 crore) as blood money, or diya, to the victim’s family — a legally permissible route under Sharia law in Yemen. While the Yemeni man’s relatives have not yet accepted or rejected the offer, time is running out.

“The status is that the power of attorney holder for Nimisha’s family, Samuel Jerome, who is already in Sana’a, is leading the negotiation from our side,” John said. “It took many months to negotiate and we have proposed $1 million to save Nimisha Priya. The Yemeni man’s family has not said yes or no. Once the family says yes, we will mobilise the funds immediately.”

Husband remains hopeful

Meanwhile, her husband Tomy Thomas said he remains hopeful.

He said that he is in regular contact with Nimisha and that the central and state governments, along with the ministry of external affairs, are involved in the case. “We expect a positive response,” he told ANI news agency.

“I am in contact with Nimisha. It is possible to send text and voice messages to her. I met the Governor yesterday, who offered all support to Nimisha’s mother through video conferencing. The Central government, State government and the MEA have been making efforts, and we expect a positive response. Our advocate is doing everything possible....” Thomas said.

Law recognizes two outcomes

Under Yemeni law, a family can pardon a convicted individual even at the last minute, sparing them from execution. The law recognizes two outcomes in murder cases: qisas (an eye for an eye, i.e. execution) or forgiveness in exchange for diya (compensation).

“We are requesting the family to pardon Nimisha for whatever she did or whatever she is accused of. Whether with or without the money, we are ready to pay the $1 million. That is the offer,” John added.

Nimisha, now 37, moved to Yemen in 2008 to support her family and initially worked in hospitals before opening her own clinic. As per local regulations requiring foreign business owners to partner with Yemeni nationals, she partnered with a man named Talal Abdo Mehdi. However, she was reportedly subjected to constant harassment and abuse. Mehdi also seized her passport, and in 2017, Nimisha injected him with sedatives, allegedly in a desperate attempt to retrieve the document and escape the country. He died, and she was arrested while trying to flee.

Since her arrest, Nimisha has been serving fellow inmates as a medical professional inside the prison. John said she remains strong, hopeful, and in frequent contact with her family, thanks to the support of jail authorities.

She is serving as doctor in jail

“Almost every day, we have been having direct communications with Nimisha with the help of the jail authorities because she’s doing good in Yemen,” he told NDTV. “She’s serving as a doctor inside the jail... And even this morning we had a conversation through WhatsApp. We are all expecting, and even the jail authorities in Yemen are expecting, that Nimisha will be saved.”

Despite extensive efforts, all legal avenues have been exhausted. The Yemeni Supreme Judicial Council upheld her conviction in November 2023, and the country’s president approved the death sentence. With no formal diplomatic ties between India and the Houthi-controlled government in Sana’a, diplomatic intervention has proven difficult.

“The problem is the civil war there and the fact that India does not have diplomatic relations with the Houthis,” John noted. “But Nimisha is hopeful that the Indian government can use its influence. India is a big power in this region, and Prime Minister Modi has a strong reputation. If the Indian government asks the Houthi rebel government, it will be done.”

The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, formed in 2020, continues to lobby governments and mobilize support worldwide to secure her release.

“This will be a lesson for all Indians, the government, and the diaspora — on how Indians trapped abroad can be helped,” John said.