The execution of Nimisha Priya, a Malayali nurse on death row in Yemen for the alleged murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi, has reportedly been revoked by the Houthi authorities in Sanaa. The announcement was made late Monday by the office of Sunni leader Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar, who claimed the intervention of religious leaders helped secure a breakthrough in the case, Hindu reported.
However, Indian officials handling the matter have not confirmed the development. They say the case remains diplomatically and legally complex, with no final consensus yet from the victim’s family regarding a pardon.
According to Mr. Kanthapuram’s office, the commutation follows sustained efforts by a delegation of Yemeni scholars appointed by Sheikh Habib Omer bin Hafiz, a prominent Sufi cleric in Yemen. The scholars reportedly collaborated with international diplomats to mediate a resolution that led to the revocation of the death sentence.
Supporting the claim, Yemeni activist Sarhan Shamsan Al Wiswabi, spokesperson for the Action Council for Talal Mahdi’s Justice, posted on Facebook that religious leaders had successfully intervened, resulting in the death sentence being waived. According to Mr. Wiswabi, Priya now faces either a life sentence or possible release through payment of "blood money"—a form of financial compensation to the victim’s family permitted under Yemeni law.
The development comes less than two weeks after Nimisha Priya’s scheduled execution on July 16 was postponed indefinitely. At the time, Indian officials had confirmed ongoing negotiations regarding the possibility of paying blood money to Talal’s family, though no agreement had been reached.
Priya was convicted in 2018 for the murder of Talal Abdo Mahdi, whom she allegedly killed in 2017. Her case has drawn significant public and political attention in India, particularly in Kerala, where multiple political factions have been involved in advocacy efforts. Officials have hinted that the case is becoming increasingly politicised, with competing groups seeking credit for the postponement of the execution.
As of now, there is no official confirmation from Indian diplomatic channels regarding the revocation of the death sentence. Government sources reiterated that while progress may have been made, the lack of unanimity within the victim’s family remains a key obstacle to any final resolution.
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