Gulf Today Report
In a significant development, Indian nurse Nimisha Priya has been spared the death penalty in Yemen after authorities overturned her sentence in a murder case. The announcement was made by the office of Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram AP Abubakker Musliyar, as reported by news agency ANI.
The cancellation of Priya’s execution follows a temporary halt that came just a day before her scheduled hanging on July 16. Grand Mufti Musliyar had intervened at the last moment, urging Yemeni officials to reconsider the sentence.
According to a statement from the Grand Mufti’s office, a high-level meeting held in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, led to the final decision to revoke the death sentence entirely. “The death sentence of Nimisha Priya, which was previously suspended, has been overturned,” the office said, as quoted by ANI.
Priya’s family, including her 13-year-old daughter Mishel and her husband Thomas, had travelled to Yemen in support of her case. They were accompanied by Indian Christian evangelist Dr. KA Paul, who has been advocating for her release. Together, they made an appeal to the Houthi authorities for leniency.
In an emotional video shared by PTI, Mishel is seen expressing her love for her mother in both Malayalam and English, saying, “I love you, mamma.” The audio, however, is not clearly audible.
Last week, India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that it is closely monitoring the case and providing full support to Priya and her family. The ministry also stated that it is coordinating with “friendly governments” to help resolve the matter diplomatically.
Nimisha Priya had been sentenced to death in Yemen for the murder of a Yemeni national. Her case has drawn significant attention in India and abroad, with calls for diplomatic intervention and clemency on humanitarian grounds.