(MENAFN- Live Mint) Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala, has found herself at the centre of international headlines after being sentenced to death in Yemen. On Tuesday, Yemeni authorities postponed her execution, bringing much relief to her family and others who now hope that united efforts can avert it altogether.

The execution, originally scheduled for 16 July, has been postponed, sources in New Delhi said on Tuesday. Priya, who hails from Kollengode in Kerala 's Palakkad district, was found guilty of murdering a Yemeni citizen in July 2017.

Who is Nimisha Priya?

Nimisha Priya is a 38-year-old nurse from Kerala's Palakkad district. She moved to Yemen in 2008 for better employment prospects and later began running her own clinic in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital.

Her business partner in Yemen was Talal Abdol Mehdi, a Yemeni national.

Nimisha Priya Case: Why Was the Kerala Nurse Sentenced to Death?

In July 2017, Nimisha Priya was accused of murdering her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdol Mehdi.

Reports state she injected him with a sedative (ketamine) in a bid to recover her passport and escape his alleged harassment, but he died from an overdose.

Following Mehdi's death, his body was dismembered and disposed of in a water tank. Nimisha Priya was arrested near the Yemen-Saudi border while trying to flee.

Nimisha Priya Case: Legal Proceedings and Death Sentence

2018: Tried and convicted for murder in a Yemeni court; sentenced to death. Nimisha Priya's trial was held in Arabic and she was reportedly not provided with an interpreter or adequate legal counsel.

2020: Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya's death sentence was reaffirmed by a higher court in Yemen.

November 2023: Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council dismissed her appeal, confirming the sentence.

Nimisha Priya continues to be imprisoned in Sanaa, a city under Houthi control and beyond the direct diplomatic reach of India.

Nimisha Priya Case: Major Developments and Timeline

Year/MonthEvent

2008	Priya moves to Yemen, works as nurse, later opens a clinic.
2015	Opens Al Aman Medical Clinic with Mehdi as co-owner.
Mar 2015	Yemen's civil war intensifies, worsening local conditions.
2016	Priya reports harassment and document seizure by Mehdi, does not receive police help.
July 2017	Priya attempts to recover her passport by sedating Mehdi, who dies; later arrested.
Aug 2017	Arrested while trying to flee the country.
2018	Convicted of murder and sentenced to death; legal assistance reportedly inadequate.
2020	Death sentence upheld; Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council formed.
Nov 2023	Appeal dismissed by Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council.
Apr 2024	Priya's family negotiates with victim's family over blood money.
Jun 2024	Over $40,000 raised as potential“diyah” (blood money) offer.
15 Jul 2025	Execution, initially scheduled for 16 July 2025, is officially postponed after diplomatic and religious interventions.

Efforts to Halt Nimisha Priya's Execution

Intense diplomatic efforts by the Government of India, alongside negotiations led by religious figures such as Kerala's Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar , have played a crucial role in staying the execution.

The legal strategy includes offering“blood money” in accordance with Yemeni law, which permits clemency if the victim's family accepts financial compensation (“diyah”).

The family's refusal to accept this compensation and the complex sectarian context in Houthi-controlled Sanaa have added to the challenges.

Nimisha Priya Case: Current Status

Execution Postponed: Yemeni authorities have officially postponed Nimisha Priya's execution.

Nimisha Priya Case: Role of 'Grand Mufti of India'

Prominent Muslim cleric Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar has emerged as a key figure in ensuring the deferment of the scheduled execution of the Indian nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen.

The 94-year-old Musliyar, who is officially known as Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad and is revered as 'Grand Mufti of India', held talks with religious authorities in Yemen, who were in contact with the family of Talal Abdo Mahdi, the Yemeni national she allegedly killed in 2017.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described the postponement of the execution as both comforting and filled with hope.

He said the decision has given Nimisha Priya more time to seek relief from the death sentence .

Vijayan said development was made possible through the initiative and intervention of eminent Sunni Muslim scholar Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar.

“It is the result of tireless efforts by kind-hearted individuals who embody compassion and brotherhood,” the Chief Minister said.

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