Indian Nurse’s Execution in Yemen Stayed; Blood Money Talks Begin

Execution of Indian Nurse, Nimisha Priya, in Yemen Deferred After Clerical Intervention; Blood Money Negotiations Underway

Sana’a, Yemen / New Delhi, July 16, 2025:

The scheduled execution of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, convicted of murdering a Yemeni national in 2017, has been put on hold following the intervention of prominent Sunni clerics in Yemen. The stay order, issued by a Yemeni trial court on July 15, 2025, comes just a day before the execution, originally fixed for Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

Speaking exclusively to The Indian Express, Subhash Chandran, legal counsel for Nimisha and member of the Nimisha Priya International Action Council (NPIAC), confirmed that the execution proceedings have been suspended until further notice, giving hope to the 33-year-old nurse and her family in Kerala.

Current Status and Access to Nimisha

Chandran revealed that direct communication with Nimisha remains restricted. “She is in Sana’a Central Prison with very limited phone access—just once or twice a week. However, the stay order has been conveyed to her by jail authorities. She is likely the happiest person now as she was hours away from execution,” Chandran said.

Nimisha’s mother, who had been under a travel ban since 2016, was finally permitted to travel to Yemen following a Delhi High Court order in April 2024. Since then, she has met Nimisha several times inside prison. The two spent nearly half a day together during their first reunion after almost a decade.

Conditions in Jail and Role Inside Prison

While Chandran refrained from detailing prison conditions, he confirmed Nimisha’s active role as a trained nurse providing medical assistance to inmates, a factor that reportedly earned her goodwill among prisoners and jail authorities.

Legal Position: All Appeals Exhausted

All judicial options in Yemen have been exhausted:

• 2017: Arrested in connection with the murder of her Yemeni business partner.
• 2020: Sentenced to death by a trial court.
• 2022: Appeal dismissed by the first appellate court.
• 2023: Supreme Judicial Council of Yemen upheld the death sentence.

“The only remaining option is under Sharia law, which allows for Diya (blood money) settlement—if the victim’s family consents,” Chandran explained.

Blood Money Process and Challenges

According to Yemeni Sharia law:

• The victim’s family may refuse blood money and insist on execution.
• They may pardon without any payment.
• Or they may accept blood money and forgive the convict.

The amount of blood money is not fixed; it could range from a nominal figure to an extremely high sum, based entirely on the victim’s family’s decision.

Negotiations have just begun, facilitated by Indian religious leader Mr. Kabra Musl, who has strong connections with Yemeni clerics and tribal leaders. These clerics are now mediating with the victim’s family to consider a pardon.

Government of India’s Role and Limitations

The Indian government’s diplomatic engagement has been minimal due to the absence of an embassy in Yemen and the ongoing civil war. “We repeatedly requested New Delhi to facilitate negotiations through countries like Oman or Iran, but there has been no proactive involvement,” Chandran alleged.

He stressed that Nimisha was a “victim of war”, denied proper legal representation during trial, and forced to sign confessions in Arabic under duress. “She had only one state-appointed lawyer. The entire process lacked fairness,” Chandran added.

Incident Timeline and Background

• Before 2017: Nimisha, a registered nurse from Kerala, had been working in Yemen for years.
• She and her husband ran a small clinic in Sana’a with a local Yemeni man acting as sponsor (the victim).
• Following marital separation and civil war disruptions, Nimisha alleged harassment and abuse by the sponsor, who also confiscated her passport.
• Acting on advice, she attempted to sedate him to retrieve her passport and flee the country. The sedation allegedly led to an accidental overdose, resulting in his death.
• Nimisha was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death for premeditated murder under Yemeni law.

Fundraising and Community Efforts

The Nimisha Priya International Action Council (NPIAC) has raised over ₹56 lakh (approx. $67,000) through contributions from Indian diaspora groups, businesspersons, and well-wishers. An initial payment of $40,000 (₹37–38 lakh) was sent to Yemen for pre-negotiation efforts.

“We are prepared to arrange any amount required for blood money through crowdfunding. What we need is the Indian government’s intervention via diplomatic channels,” Chandran urged.

Next Steps

Currently, the trial court has not specified a timeline for concluding blood money negotiations. “It could be a short or long duration. Our priority is to convince the victim’s family to accept blood money and issue a pardon,” said Chandran.

International human rights groups such as Amnesty International and the Red Cross could not intervene due to lack of presence in northern Yemen.

Key Takeaways

• Execution stayed after clerical intervention.
• Blood money talks initiated; amount yet to be decided.
• All legal remedies exhausted; Sharia law is the only option.
• Fundraising ongoing; ₹56 lakh collected so far.
• Indian government criticized for limited diplomatic action.

This case highlights the precarious situation of Indian migrant workers in conflict-ridden regions like Yemen, where absence of diplomatic infrastructure severely limits state intervention. It also underscores the urgent need for bilateral frameworks to protect expatriates facing legal trials in foreign jurisdictions governed by religious laws.