Nimisha Priya's case highlights a larger crisis: Over 10,000 Indians in foreign jails, 49 await execution

Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who is on death row in Yemen, will not be executed on July 16, according to her legal counsel. While the execution has been halted by Yemeni authorities, a new date has not yet been announced, sources told CNN-News18.

The fate of Nimisha Priya has become a pressing reminder of the peril thousands of Indians face abroad. Convicted in 2017 for the murder of her Yemeni business partner, Priya’s case is now emblematic of the deep legal and diplomatic entanglements confronting India’s expatriates.

With over 10,000 Indian nationals imprisoned in foreign jails and 49 currently on death row, the Indian government finds its intervention limited by foreign sovereignty, harsh legal codes, and fractured diplomacy. Whether it’s petty crime or capital offences like drug trafficking and murder, Indian citizens, often migrant workers in the Gulf, face foreign justice systems with little awareness, legal help or support.

The Nimisha Priya case: A stark example

Among the most urgent cases is that of Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala sentenced to death in Yemen for the 2017 murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi. After reportedly drugging Mahdi to retrieve her passport, which he had seized, the situation escalated fatally. Priya, along with a Yemeni accomplice, allegedly dismembered the body and hid it in a water tank, PTI reported. Convicted in a trial conducted under Yemen’s Sharia law amid a brutal civil war, her appeal was rejected in 2023, and execution is scheduled for July 16, 2025.

The Indian government has admitted its hands are tied due to the lack of diplomatic relations with the Houthi-controlled Yemeni administration. Despite efforts including informal negotiations and engaging influential locals, the situation remains grim. The only remaining hope lies in “blood money,” a provision under Sharia law that allows the convict’s life to be spared if the victim’s family accepts financial compensation. However, this process is strictly private, and the Indian state cannot directly intervene beyond facilitating contact.

A pattern beyond this case

Priya’s case, while extreme, is not isolated. As of March 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that 49 Indian nationals were facing death sentences in eight countries. This includes 25 in the UAE, 11 in Saudi Arabia, six in Malaysia and others in Kuwait, Indonesia, Qatar, the US and Yemen.

The offences range from murder and drug trafficking to espionage and religious violations, especially in conservative jurisdictions where legal interpretations are harsh and due process is often opaque. Several Indians executed in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in recent years, for instance, were convicted of drug-related crimes, the MEA informed the Rajya Sabha in March this year.

A legal limbo

Indian diplomatic missions abroad are tasked with offering consular and legal support, from jail visits to arranging interpreters and helping with appeals or mercy petitions. But in countries like Yemen, where India does not recognise the Houthi regime and formal channels are absent, even these basic services are difficult to provide.

Many Indian nationals, especially migrant labourers, are caught in a legal limbo. They often lack awareness of local laws, face severe language barriers, and cannot afford adequate legal representation. In authoritarian regimes or conflict-ridden states, access to fair trials and transparent legal processes is rare.

Disproportionate in the Gulf

Countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which host millions of Indian migrants, see a disproportionately high number of Indians caught in legal troubles. The UAE alone has over 2,500 Indian prisoners, with 25 on death row, the MEA said. Due to the lack of public execution data in the UAE, Indian authorities rely on informal and community sources to monitor developments.

Legal problems often stem from stressful working conditions, labour disputes, smuggling operations, or even mistaken identity. In many cases, individuals are caught in illegal networks or wrongfully accused, finding themselves trapped in unfamiliar and unforgiving systems.

Executions: From Malaysia to Saudi Arabia

Between 2023 and 2024, multiple Indian nationals were executed in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Malaysia. In 2024 alone, at least three executions were reported each in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In 2023, five Indians were executed in both countries. These swift and often irreversible decisions reflect the severe legal landscapes where minor errors or wrongful accusations can turn fatal.

While the Indian government has consistently advocated for its citizens, it has no legal authority to override verdicts in foreign jurisdictions. Assistance is mostly limited to supporting appeals, coordinating with NGOs, and facilitating mercy pleas, but the final say lies with the host nation’s judiciary or rulers.

Accountability of the vulnerable?

These troubling cases underline the vulnerability of Indian citizens abroad, especially low-income migrants and blue-collar workers. While the government maintains that the “safety, security, and well-being” of Indians overseas is a priority, the scale of global incarceration – over 10,000 prisoners – makes case-by-case intervention a daunting task.

Community-led groups like the Save Nimisha Priya – International Action Council have taken on a critical role in bridging this gap. By raising awareness, organising funds for “blood money,” and building informal lines of communication with local power holders like tribal sheikhs in Yemen, these groups have helped keep cases like Priya’s alive.

Experts and advocates argue for stronger pre-departure education for Indian migrants, especially those heading to countries with harsh legal systems. Programmes that explain local laws, rights, and cultural norms can be a vital preventive measure.

There is also an urgent need for bilateral legal aid agreements, fast-tracked consular access, and dedicated legal defence funds. India’s diplomatic infrastructure, among the largest globally, offers a base to push such reforms, but implementation depends on political will and sustained funding.