Indian nurse Nimisha Priya set for execution in Yemen on July 16; follows recent executions of other Indians abroad

Nimisha Priya, a 34-year-old Indian nurse from Kerala, is scheduled for execution in Yemen on July 16, following conviction for the murder of a Yemeni national in 2017.

Human rights activist Samuel Jerome, representing Nimisha’s mother, confirmed the date—though India’s Ministry of External Affairs has not formally verified it.

The Indian government has provided consular support and legal assistance, while efforts continue to negotiate a pardon through the victim’s family under Yemen’s Sharia law.

Nimisha’s case reflects a broader and alarming trend: since 2020, over 50 Indians have been sentenced to death abroad, particularly in Middle Eastern countries.

Earlier this year, three Indians were executed in the UAE—Shahzadi Khan, Muhammed Rinash Arangilottu, and Muraleedharan PV—for murder convictions, as confirmed by India’s MEA.

These executions have prompted high-level consular interventions.

In October 2023, eight retired Indian naval officers were sentenced to death in Qatar on espionage charges. India successfully lobbied for a commutation, and all but one were released by early 2025.

In April 2023, Singapore issued an execution warrant for Tangaraju Suppiah over drug offenses—the first such notice that year .

As of mid‑2025, the MEA estimates over 10,000 Indians are incarcerated abroad, with 47 executed or sentenced to death between 2020 and 2024.