Execution Delayed: Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya Gets Temporary Relief in Yemen

Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala who was sentenced to death in Yemen, has received a temporary relief. Her execution, which was scheduled to take place within 24 hours, has been delayed. This decision came after intense negotiations with the family of the man she was accused of killing.

Although the execution has been postponed, this does not mean she will be released or allowed to return to India. The victim’s family has agreed to delay the sentence, providing more time for discussions about a possible settlement.

India’s Diplomatic Challenges

Nimisha is currently held in a prison in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen controlled by the Houthi rebels. Since India has no official diplomatic ties with the Houthis, handling the case has been difficult. Despite this, Indian officials have stayed in contact with local jail authorities and legal offices, trying every possible route to save her life.

The Indian government has acknowledged that it has done everything within its powers. According to officials, the only remaining solution now is ‘blood money’ — a financial compensation under Islamic law that the victim’s family may accept in exchange for granting a pardon.

What Led to the Death Sentence

Nimisha had moved to Yemen in 2008 to work as a nurse and support her family back home. She later opened a clinic with a local man named Talal Abdo Mehdi, whom she took on as a business partner to follow local rules. However, over time, Talal reportedly began harassing her, took her money, and seized her passport to prevent her from leaving.

In 2017, in an attempt to recover her passport, she gave Talal a sedative hoping to make him unconscious — but he died instead. She was arrested soon after, while trying to escape the country.

Legal Battle and Hope for Pardon

Over the years, Nimisha’s appeals in Yemen’s courts were rejected. In 2023, her death sentence was confirmed by Yemen's top court and later approved by the President. The only remaining hope now rests on the victim’s family accepting the blood money, which would legally stop the execution and possibly allow Nimisha to return home.