The execution of Kerala-born nurse Nimisha Priya, which was scheduled for July 16, 2025, in Yemen, has been postponed, offering much-needed relief to her family and supporters. The deferment, confirmed on July 15, came after intense diplomatic and religious interventions orchestrated both within Yemen and through faith-based channels in India .
Nimisha, originally from Palakkad district, was convicted in 2017 for the murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, and sentenced to death in 2018. Her appeal was rejected in 2023 by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council, upholding the verdict under the country’s Sharia-based legal system .
The deferment was largely credited to the humanitarian efforts of Sunni Muslim leader Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, also known as the Grand Mufti of India, who engaged Yemeni religious scholars—including Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz—to open dialogue with Mahdi’s family .
With no formal diplomatic relations between India and Yemen’s Houthi-administered capital Sana’a, official avenues have been limited. The Government of India confirmed to the Supreme Court that its ability to intervene is constrained, acknowledging that “blood money” (diyah) under Yemeni law remains the only potential pathway for clemency—if accepted by the victim’s family .
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However, the situation remains delicate. The brother of the deceased, Abdelfattah Mahdi, has publicly insisted on the implementation of Qisas—the principle of retaliation in kind under Sharia law—and has refused to accept any blood money, making Nimisha’s future uncertain .
Despite this setback, the postponement has bought valuable time for negotiation efforts to continue. The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, local religious leaders, and social organizations remain actively engaged in attempts to secure a pardon or a settlement that can stop the execution .
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and opposition leader V.D. Satheesan welcomed the deferment as a compassionate relief, acknowledging the efforts of all parties—especially the religious mediation—in gaining this temporary reprieve .
