Manama: With the execution of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya reportedly scheduled for July 16, an emergency meeting was convened in northern Yemen in a final bid to save her life. The meeting saw the participation of key negotiators, including the brother of Talal Abdo Mahdi, the Yemeni national whose death led to Priya’s conviction.
The gathering, coordinated by humanitarian groups and local intermediaries, focused on resolving the case through a blood money settlement, the only legal route under Yemeni law to halt the death penalty. Nimisha’s mother, currently in Yemen, is personally spearheading the negotiation efforts.
Despite the Indian government stating its “limited diplomatic leverage”, pressure is mounting from the Supreme Court of India and public campaigns to intervene. In the emergency session, discussions centered around reaching consensus with the victim’s family, who have so far declined financial compensation, citing honor and justice.
Advocates supporting Priya's case reiterated that if the victim’s family accepts the offered $1 million as blood money, execution can be averted. But with only days left, hopes hinge entirely on this final round of negotiations.
This is the most critical phase in a long-standing legal and diplomatic battle that has captivated the Indian public and drawn sharp focus to the precarious position of migrant workers entangled in foreign legal systems.