A senior Iranian official announced on Thursday that Iran will extend its support in the case of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who is facing a death sentence in Yemen.
Priya, a 37-year-old nurse from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, was convicted of murdering a Yemeni citizen in July 2017. She is currently imprisoned in Sana’a, the Yemeni capital controlled by Iran-backed Houthi forces.
Addressing a group of journalists in Delhi, the Iranian official stated, “We will take up the issue. It appears to be a case of manslaughter. We will do everything possible on humanitarian grounds.”
The incident involves the death of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi, who reportedly succumbed to an overdose of sedatives that Priya allegedly administered while attempting to recover her passport.
In 2020, a Yemeni trial court sentenced Priya to death, a decision upheld by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. Recently, Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi approved her execution.
India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, confirmed on Tuesday that the Indian government is providing all possible assistance. “We are aware of Nimisha Priya’s sentencing in Yemen and understand her family is exploring legal avenues. The government is offering every possible help,” Jaiswal said.
Meanwhile, Priya’s mother, Prema Kumari, currently in Sana’a, has made a heartfelt plea to the Indian government to save her daughter.
In an emotional video message, Prema Kumari urged authorities to act swiftly. “This is my final appeal. She has only a few days left. The action council has worked tirelessly to gather funds. I beg the Centre and the council to do everything in their power to save her life,” she said.
