Sana’a/New Delhi – The fate of Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse convicted of murder in Yemen, now hinges on a key concept in Islamic law — qisas, or retributive justice — after the victim’s family refused to accept ‘diyya’ or blood money as a path to clemency.
Priya was convicted of killing her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2017, reportedly after sedating him in a desperate attempt to retrieve her passport, which he had allegedly withheld. Mahdi died from an overdose, and Priya was sentenced to death.
However, a recent decision by the Houthi administration to postpone her execution, originally scheduled for July 16, gave her supporters a temporary sense of relief. The stay came after reported interventions by the Indian government and Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, a senior Muslim cleric from Kerala.
❌ Family Says No to ‘Diyya’, Demands Execution
Despite mounting offers of financial compensation — reports suggest the amount offered went as high as $1 million — Talal’s brother, Abdelfattah Mahdi, firmly rejected the idea of accepting diyya. In a Facebook post, he dismissed the ongoing mediation efforts, stating unequivocally:
“Our demand is retribution, nothing else.”
He criticized recent media reports suggesting the family might settle for money, calling such speculation misleading and offensive.
The family contends that Priya’s act was deliberate, not accidental — a key legal distinction under Sharia law. While diyya is applicable in cases of accidental or unintended death, qisas is invoked when murder is deemed intentional. The Mahdi family insists Priya knowingly committed the act and deserves to be executed.
“What is achieved and heard today from mediation and attempts for peace is nothing new or surprising… But the pressure has not changed anything in us,” Abdelfattah Mahdi wrote in Arabic.
⚖️ Background & Diplomatic Hurdles
Nimisha Priya has been in jail in Sana’a, Yemen’s capital controlled by the Houthi regime, since her conviction. Her mother and a citizen forum of Indian expatriates have been advocating for years to save her life, pursuing mediation under Islamic law, which allows the victim’s family to pardon the convicted in exchange for compensation.
India’s official diplomatic outreach is limited, as it does not formally recognize the Houthi administration. However, behind-the-scenes negotiations have continued with support from civil society and religious leaders.
Despite international attention and local intervention, the insistence on qisas by the victim’s family complicates any hope of reprieve for Priya.