Nimisha Priya, a 13-year-old girl from India, clings to the hope of reuniting with her mother, who is facing the death penalty in Yemen. Priya’s mother, Nimisha Priya, a nurse, was convicted of murdering a Yemeni national in 2018 and sentenced to death in 2020. Despite multiple efforts over the past seven years, Priya’s family has been unable to secure her release.
Family’s Plea for Mercy
Nimisha Priya’s husband, Tomy Thomas, has expressed his willingness to offer “diya” (blood money) in hopes of saving his wife’s life. Speaking to News18, Thomas said, “For the past seven years, we have been trying every possible legal way to seek pardon and bring Nimisha home alive. Our child was just two years old when this happened. She has seen her photographs and speaks over video calls, but she needs the support and love of a mother.” Thomas also emphasized their intention to negotiate with the family of Talal Abdo Mahdi, the Yemeni national whom Priya allegedly killed, to find a resolution through blood money.
A Mother’s Last Plea
The situation has become increasingly dire. On December 30, 2024, Yemen’s President Rashad al-Alimi reportedly approved Priya’s death sentence, intensifying the family’s anxiety. Priya’s mother, Prema Kumari, has now turned to the Indian government for immediate intervention. Appearing on a regional television channel from Yemen, Kumari pleaded tearfully for help: “Time is running out,” she said, folding her hands in desperation. She thanked the Indian and Kerala governments for their support but stressed that this was her final plea for her daughter’s life.
Legal Battle and Government Support
In December 2023, Prema Kumari received permission from the Delhi High Court to travel to Yemen and negotiate blood money with Mahdi’s family in an attempt to save her daughter. The Save Nimisha Priya international council helped facilitate her visit to Yemen. During her time there, Kumari met with her daughter for the first time in over a decade. The emotional reunion was filled with tears as Priya, seeing her mother after many years, called out “mummy” and ran to hug her.
Meanwhile, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is extending all possible support to Priya’s family. Official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed, “We are aware of the sentencing of Ms. Nimisha Priya in Yemen. We understand that the family is exploring relevant options, and the government is extending all possible help.”
