Nimisha Priya’s Death Sentence Overturned in Yemen, Says Grand Mufti’s Office
The death sentence of Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse convicted of murder in Yemen in 2017, has been completely overturned, the office of India’s Grand Mufti, Kanthapuram AP Abubakar Musliyar, announced on Monday, July 28. The decision reportedly came after a high-level meeting in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, concluding sustained diplomatic efforts to save the 38-year-old’s life.
According to a statement from the Grand Mufti’s office, the previously suspended death sentence has now been fully canceled. However, the office clarified that it is still awaiting official written confirmation from Yemeni authorities. India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also not yet independently verified the development.
Priya’s execution was originally set for July 16 but was halted just one day prior following a direct appeal for clemency by Grand Mufti Musliyar to Yemeni officials and concerted efforts by the Indian government. The MEA had confirmed it was in touch with local authorities and friendly nations to find a “mutually agreeable solution”.
Nimisha Priya, from Palakkad, Kerala, was working as a nurse in Yemen when she partnered with a Yemeni national, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to open a clinic in 2015. Their relationship soured, with reports of Mahdi harassing her, confiscating her passport, and falsely claiming to be her husband to control her earnings.
In July 2017, in an attempt to retrieve her passport and escape the alleged abuse, Priya sedated Mahdi, which resulted in his death from an overdose. She was arrested for murder, convicted in 2018, and sentenced to death by a Yemeni court in 2020. The case has been complex, as Priya is being held in Sanaa, which is under the control of Houthi authorities, not the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
The case garnered significant international attention, with humanitarian groups and religious leaders advocating for her release. The Indian government provided legal assistance, arranged consular visits, and has been actively involved in seeking a resolution
