New Delhi: The Indian government has confirmed to the Supreme Court that the execution of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who is on death row in Yemen, has been halted. Priya, 38, was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner in 2017.
The Supreme Court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a plea from the ‘Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council’, an organisation extending legal and humanitarian support to Priya. The organisation urged the government to continue diplomatic efforts to save her life.
Attorney General R. Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, informed the bench that “a new mediator has stepped into the picture” and that “nothing adverse is happening” regarding her case. He confirmed that her execution has been stayed for now.
The bench directed that the matter be listed again in January 2026, with the option for early listing if circumstances change.
Priya’s execution had been scheduled for July 16, but was suspended after India and the supporting NGO established informal communication channels with Yemeni authorities. Since her imprisonment in Sana’a, the case has been complicated due to the Houthi control of the region — a group with which India has no formal diplomatic ties.
Earlier, on August 14, the petitioner’s lawyer had informed the court that there was “no immediate threat” to Priya’s life. On July 18, the Centre had also assured the court that it was “trying everything possible” to ensure her safe return.
Priya’s mother is currently in Yemen, negotiating with the victim’s family to reach a “blood money” settlement — a concept permitted under Sharia law where the family of a murder victim can pardon the accused in exchange for financial compensation.
Nimisha Priya, originally from Palakkad, Kerala, was convicted in 2017, sentenced to death in 2020, and had her final appeal rejected in 2023. Her case has sparked widespread support campaigns in India, urging the government to secure her release through diplomatic and humanitarian channels.
