Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya’s lawyer urges Indian govt to negotiate ‘blood money’ under Sharia to prevent her execution in Yemen: All you need to know

Nimisha Priya, an Indian-Malayali nurse convicted in a 2017 murder case, is set to be executed on 16th July 2025. Nimisha Priya is currently lodged in the Central Jail in the Yemeni national capital, Sanaa, for murdering a Yemeni citizen, Talal Abdo Mahdi. In a last-ditch effort to stop Nimisha’s execution, the Save Nimisha Priya International Council has moved the Supreme Court of India.

Represented by Advocate Ragenth Basant, the petitioner sought the apex court’s direction to the Central government to obtain a stay on Nimisha Priya’s execution and secure her release from Yemen via diplomatic channels.

The matter was brought before a partial working days bench of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The petitioners mentioned that as per Sharia law, a person if the relatives of the victims agree to accept “blood money” or “Diyya”, adding that negotiations can be held to explore that option.

On being questioned by Justice Dhulia about the reason behind the Yemeni national’s killing, advocate Basant said, “I am an Indian citizen from Kerala. Went there for employment as a nurse. A local person started torturing me…and he was killed.”

The bench initially listed the matter for 14th July, however, the petitioner’s counsel said that since the execution is to take place on 16th July, two days would be insufficient for the government to take forward diplomatic negotiations.

Consequently, the court agreed to list the matter for 11th July 2025.

Meanwhile, reports say that the Central government is closely monitoring the case, and is in touch with the Yemeni authorities as well as Nimisha’s family. Sources at the Ministry of External Affairs say that MEA has provided all possible assistance so far.

This comes amid reports of a 37-year-old Indian nurse from Kerala scheduled to be executed on 16th July. The trial court convicted her of killing the Yemeni national, a decision that was upheld by the country’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023.

Previously, MEA confirmed its awareness of the death sentence handed to Nimisha Priya and assured that the government is providing all possible assistance.

Earlier in response to media queries regarding the case of Nimisha Priya, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We are aware of the sentencing of Ms. Nimisha Priya in Yemen. We understand that the family of Ms. Priya is exploring relevant options. The government is extending all possible help in the matter.”

In January this year, the Indian government reaffirmed its commitment to assisting Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse who has been sentenced to death in Yemen. “We are closely following the developments”, said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal. Nimisha Priya, who is sentenced to death in Yemen, is a trained nurse and has worked in private hospitals in Yemen for a few years.

Nimisha Priya’s time in Yemen, dispute over the clinic and subsequent harassment by the Yemeni national

Nimisha Priya, who is sentenced to death in Yemen, is a trained nurse and has worked in private hospitals in Yemen for a few years. Her husband and minor daughter returned to India in 2014 because of financial reasons, and in that same year, Yemen was gripped by civil war, and they could not go back as the country stopped issuing new visas.

Later in 2015, Nimisha joined hands with a Yemeni citizen, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to set up her clinic in Sana. She sought Mahdi’s support because, under Yemen’s law, only nationals are allowed to set up clinics and business firms. In 2015, Mahdi accompanied Nimisha Priya to Kerala when she came for a month-long holiday. During the visit, he stole a wedding photograph of Nimisha, which he later manipulated to claim that he was married to her.

A plea moved by the mother of Nimisha Priya had stated, “After a while, Nimisha’s clinic began, and Mahdi manipulated the ownership documents of the clinic. He also began to take money out of her monthly earnings after telling everyone that Nimisha was his wife. Nimisha had alleged that Mahdi had been harassing her and her family for years. Mahdi also seized her passport. This was done to ensure that she would not leave Yemen. He tortured her under the influence of drugs. He threatened her at gunpoint several times. He took all the money from the clinic and her ornaments.”

The plea further alleged that, unable to cope with the torture, Nimisha complained to the police in Sanaa, but instead of taking action against Mahdi, the police arrested her and put her in jail for six days. It was further alleged that on her return from jail, the severity of the torture increased manifold.

In July 2017, Priya allegedly approached the warden of a jail near her clinic, who advised her to drug Mahdi and then obtain her passport. However, Mahdi was a substance abuser; therefore, the dose did not work for him as desired. Subsequently, Nimisha Priya allegedly attempted to sedate Mahdi again, this time with the help of her fellow nurse Hannan; however, Mahdi died from an overdose. The two panicked and chopped Mahdi’s body before putting it in a water tank.

The accused duo were soon arrested, and in 2018, Priya was convicted of murder. A trial court in Sanaa sentenced her to death in 2020, and Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council rejected her appeal in November 2023. Meanwhile, Hannan received a life sentence.

Nimisha Priya’s arrest and dispute over payment of pre-negotiation fees

Nimisha Priya, a native of Kerala’s Palakkad district, was arrested in July 2017 for allegedly murdering Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi. Three years later, a trial court in Sana’a sentenced her to death in 2020, and her appeal was rejected by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. In December 2024, Rashad al-Alimi, the President of Yemen, had authorised the death sentence of the Indian nurse.

However, the possibility of paying blood money to the deceased person’s family remained open. Her freedom was dependent on convincing the victim’s family, and their tribe leader to forgive her. Her death sentence could have been overturned if the victim’s family had forgiven her and taken the blood money instead.

Nimisha Priya’s family has been making efforts to pursuade the deceased victim’s family regarding blood money. In April 2024, the convict’s mother Prema Kumari went to Yemen to get her daughter out of prison. This was the first time she met Nimisha in 11 years.

The negotiation bid was stalled due to a delay in the payment to Abdullah Ameer, the lawyer appointed on behalf of Nimisha Priya. The lawyer had demanded USD 40,000 in two instalments as pre-negotiation fees and stated that the legal proceeding would not move further until the entire amount is paid.

Initially, Ameer demanded $20,000 (Rs 16 lakh approximately) of which $19, 871 was already paid to Ameer in July by the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council initially crowdfunded money for the lawyer’s fees; however, they later struggled with ensuring transparency to the donors regarding the usage of the raised funds.

While Priya was awarded the death sentence, she had the option to give blood money to Mahdi’s family since her death sentence could only be waived if the deceased victim’s family pardoned her. Notably, as per Sharia law, blood money or Diyya is accepted by the victim’s family from the murderer in case the death was unintentional or accidental or if the deceased victim’s family decides to forgive the murderer and not seek retribution or Qiyas.

The Indian government has been making diplomatic efforts to explore all possibilities of saving Nimisha Priya; however, accepting the blood money or not remains a decision only the victim’s family can make. Thus, approaching the Supreme Court to seek an order for the Central government to anyhow secure stay Nimisha’s execution and her release, although desperate, is a slightly absurd move.

It remains to be seen if somehow the Supreme Court directs the Central government to put pressure on Yemen government to force blood money route and if there is a twist of fate awaiting Nimisha Priya or whether she will be executed.

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