Nimisha Priya’s Death Sentence Cancelled In Yemen, Says Indian Grand Mufti’s Office — Final Decision Awaited

In a significant development in the long-standing legal case of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, the office of the Grand Mufti of India, Kanthapuram AP Abubakar Musliyar, has confirmed that her death sentence in Yemen has been completely overturned. However, the Grand Mufti’s office also clarified that they are yet to receive any official written communication from Yemeni authorities.

The 37-year-old nurse from Kerala, who was scheduled to be executed on July 16, 2025, for the murder of her business partner, Mahdi, had her execution temporarily postponed. Now, according to recent developments, a complete cancellation of her death sentence has reportedly been agreed upon.

The critical breakthrough came during a high-level meeting held in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen. The meeting included senior Yemeni Islamic scholars appointed by Sheikh Umar Hafeel Thangal, acting on the request of Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram. The discussions also involved Northern Yemeni rulers and international diplomats.

The meeting resulted in a consensus that Nimisha Priya’s death sentence should be nullified. This marks a major shift in the trajectory of her case, which had appeared to reach a dead end after Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council upheld the capital punishment in November 2023. At that time, with the Houthi rebels controlling most institutions in Yemen, the execution had been officially scheduled for July 16, 2025.

According to a statement from the Grand Mufti’s office, several key decisions regarding Nimisha’s case were taken during the Sana’a meeting. However, some aspects still need further deliberation. One of the most crucial pending matters is the resolution with the family of the murdered Yemeni national, Talal Mahdi. These discussions are expected to continue in the coming days.

Who is Nimisha Priya?

Nimisha Priya moved to Yemen in 2008 in search of better employment opportunities, like many Indian nurses seeking financial stability for their families. She began working in a private hospital in Sana’a, Yemen’s capital.

In 2015, she partnered with a Yemeni man named Mahdi to run a medical clinic. As Yemeni law prohibits foreign nationals from owning clinics outright, Mahdi’s involvement was legally necessary. Over time, however, Nimisha and her supporters claimed that the relationship became exploitative and abusive.

They alleged that Mahdi withheld her passport, misused clinic funds, and subjected her to physical abuse, severely restricting her movements. In July 2017, in a desperate attempt to retrieve her passport, Nimisha injected Mahdi with sedatives. The dosage turned out to be fatal. In a state of panic, she and a colleague dismembered the body and disposed of it in a water tank.

She was arrested in August 2017 at a border checkpoint. In 2018, a Yemeni court convicted her of murder, accusing her of administering drugs without permission, causing Mahdi’s death, and attempting to cover up the crime—indicating premeditated intent.

Her appeals were rejected by higher courts, and the Supreme Judicial Council of Yemen upheld the death penalty in November 2023. With rebels in power, her execution had been marked for July 16, 2025, until it was stayed and now reportedly cancelled following recent interventions.

As of now, the final status of the case hinges on official documentation from Yemen and a conclusive settlement with the victim’s family.

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