New Delhi

Hectic last-minute parleys are underway in Yemen to save Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse sentenced to death for the 2017 murder of her Yemeni business partner.

As per the latest report from Sa'nna, Nimisha's execution scheduled for July 16, has been has been postponed after advocacy groups and influential religious leaders have stepped in to broker a last-minute resolution.

Speaking to Onmanorama's News Break podcast, Advocate Subhash Chandran KR, counsel for Nimisha Priya and representative of the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, said the immediate priority is to postpone the execution and create room for further negotiations.

"Our first focus is to delay the execution. If that succeeds, we hope to secure her release through dialogue and blood money, if the victim's family agrees," said Advocate Subhash.

Nimisha Priya is on death row in Sana'a, Yemen, a region where India lacks a diplomatic presence and does not officially recognize the ruling authorities.

The latest round of negotiations follows the intervention by India’s grand Mufti Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, a powerful Sunni Muslim cleric who got in touch with Sheikh Habib Umar, a famous Sufi scholar in Yemen.

Representatives from his side are now in touch with the family of Talal Abdo Mahdi (the victim), including his brother. This marks the first time a close family member has joined the negotiation table.

Talks are being conducted under Sharia law, which allows the victim's family to pardon the convict either unconditionally or in exchange for blood money, a legally recognized form of compensation.

"Discussions continued late into the night. But even if one member agrees to a pardon, all other close relatives must be on board for any agreement to take effect. If the family agrees to accept blood money, fundraising will not be a hurdle. There's strong support from the diaspora and well-wishers," Advocate Subhash added.

On Monday, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that it had reached the limits of its diplomatic efforts in the case. Appearing before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, Attorney General R Venkataramani said the government was doing its "utmost possible" to save Nimisha. The apex court was hearing a plea by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, seeking urgent diplomatic intervention and time to negotiate with the victim's family.

The bench noted that the petitioners were not seeking government funds, only facilitation for negotiations. Nimisha's mother is currently in Yemen, accompanied by a social worker, to help with the discussions. The Supreme Court has posted the matter for further hearing on July 18.

Nimisha Priya, a 36-year-old nurse from Kerala, was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business associate, Talal Abdo Mahdi. According to her family, Talal had forged documents to claim she was his wife and had also taken away her passport.

Nimisha Priya, a 36-year-old nurse from Kerala, was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business associate, Talal Abdo Mahdi. According to her family, Talal had forged documents to claim she was his wife, confiscated her passport, and subjected her to repeated abuse. In 2017, she allegedly injected him with ketamine in an attempt to recover her documents, but an overdose proved fatal.

She was sentenced to death by a Yemeni court in 2020. Two years later, Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council rejected her plea in 2023. Yemeni President upheld by the country's president.

The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council was formed to campaign for her release.

A meeting between Sheikh Habib Omar's representative, Habib Abdurrahman Ali Mashhoor, Yemeni government representatives, the Supreme Judge of the Criminal Court, the brother of the murdered Talal, and tribal leaders was held in North Yemen to kick-start the efforts to save Nimisha.

Kanthapuram AP Abubakar Musliyar's demand for pardon, release from the death penalty, and release from prison was presented to the family in exchange for alms, according to those associated with him.

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In the politically chaotic Yemen, there are currently two ruling groups, North and South. Therefore, international relations are ineffective in both places.