The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India has officially dismissed claims that the death sentence of Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala convicted of murder in Yemen, has been revoked. This statement comes in response to assertions made by the office of the Grand Mufti of India, Kanthapuram AP Abubakar Musliyar, who had earlier declared that the Yemeni authorities had entirely cancelled the death sentence that was earlier suspended. The Grand Mufti’s office had cited a high-level meeting in Sanaa, claiming that it resulted in the decision to completely overturn the execution ruling. However, it also acknowledged that formal written confirmation from the Yemeni government had not yet been received.
Nimisha Priya’s case has been under close observation both in India and internationally due to the complex legal and diplomatic dynamics involved. A trained nurse, she had moved to Yemen in 2008 seeking better job opportunities. Over time, she became involved in a medical business venture with Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mahdi. Reports suggest that their professional relationship deteriorated, with Mahdi allegedly harassing her and taking control of her passport, thereby preventing her from returning to India. To escape this situation, Priya reportedly tried to sedate Mahdi to retrieve her documents. Unfortunately, the attempt went fatally wrong, leading to Mahdi's death from what was suspected to be a drug overdose.
Following her arrest in 2017, Priya was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by a Yemeni court in 2020. Her execution was initially scheduled for July 16, 2025, but it was halted a day before, reportedly due to an appeal for clemency by Grand Mufti Musliyar. Despite the temporary reprieve, her fate remains uncertain amid conflicting reports and the absence of formal legal documentation confirming the cancellation of the sentence. Her case has drawn significant diplomatic engagement from the Indian government and involvement from religious leaders who have appealed for mercy on humanitarian grounds.
The MEA has now clarified that any claims about the official cancellation of Nimisha Priya’s sentence are factually incorrect, emphasizing the importance of relying only on verified information. While there has been a temporary suspension of her execution, there is no official legal confirmation from the Yemeni authorities indicating a complete revocation of her death sentence. The situation continues to unfold, and efforts to secure Priya's release or a commutation of her sentence remain ongoing.
