New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: The death sentence of Nimisha Priya, the Indian nurse imprisoned in Yemen for the 2017 murder of a Yemeni national, has been officially revoked, according to a statement from the office of Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobakr Musliyar. The announcement, first reported by Mathrubhumi News, signals a major breakthrough in the long-running case that has captured national and international attention. However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has yet to formally confirm the development.
According to Mathrubhumi, the Grand Mufti’s office stated that the revocation came after a high-level meeting in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, where local authorities, international diplomatic representatives, and a delegation of Yemeni scholars mediated discussions. The delegation was appointed by Sheikh Umar Hafiz Thangal at the behest of the Grand Mufti, who has been actively involved in efforts to save Priya from execution.
While Priya’s execution—originally scheduled for July 16—had earlier been stayed, the latest decision makes the cancellation official, the Grand Mufti’s office said. Negotiations are now underway with the family of the deceased, Talal al-Nahdi, whose consent remains crucial to reaching a final settlement under Yemeni law.
Priya, a Kerala native, was sentenced to death for the alleged murder of Talal, who had helped her set up a clinic in Yemen. The case has reignited debate around the Islamic legal provision of diyah or “blood money”—a system that allows families of murder victims to pardon the accused in exchange for monetary compensation. Though diyah is not recognised under Indian law, it is an accepted legal practice in several Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen.
Rooted in tribal customs and formalised under Sharia, diyah is designed to promote reconciliation over revenge. The compensation amount is often negotiated, taking into account the religion, gender, and nationality of both the victim and the accused. In recent years, this mechanism has become one of the few legal avenues available for Indians facing capital punishment abroad.
India has previously facilitated such settlements. In one of the most high-profile cases, Kerala driver Abdul Rahim was sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for the accidental death of a paralysed child. In 2024, after years of fundraising and diplomatic effort, nearly ₹34 crore was raised as diyah, securing his pardon, though Rahim was still required to complete a 20-year prison term.
Other similar cases include:
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Balwinder Singh from Punjab, pardoned in 2013 after ₹2 crore was raised in Saudi Arabia.
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Bengaluru truck driver Saleem Basha, pardoned in 2013 when then Saudi King Abdullah paid ₹1.5 crore on his behalf.
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A.S. Sankaranarayanan in the UAE, released in 2017 after a bank stepped in with ₹47 lakh compensation.
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Telangana’s C.H. Limbadri, spared execution in 2007 after a local businessman paid ₹1.8 crore with political backing.
These precedents underscore the intricate and often fragile nature of diyah negotiations, involving not just the accused and the victim’s family, but also community leaders, religious scholars, donors, and governments.
In Nimisha Priya’s case, while the revocation of the death sentence marks a crucial victory, the final outcome still hinges on securing a pardon through a mutually agreed-upon settlement with the deceased’s family. The Grand Mufti’s office has said further negotiations are ongoing.
The MEA has so far maintained a cautious stance, with officials earlier telling the Supreme Court that there was little room for direct intervention due to Yemen’s diplomatic sensitivities and the absence of an Indian mission in the conflict-ridden country.
For now, Priya remains in custody in Yemen, but the latest development offers a ray of hope in what has been a grim and uncertain legal battle.
