Execution of Kerala nurse in Yemen deferred, say officials

The execution of Nimisha Priya, an Indian on death row in Yemen for murdering a Yemeni national, has been postponed, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

- Rezaul H Laskar

Priya’s death sentence was set to be carried out on July 16. “It has been learnt that the local authorities in Yemen have postponed the execution,” one of the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

The Indian government made concerted efforts in recent days to seek more time for Priya’s family to reach a “mutually agreeable solution with the other party”, the people said without giving details.

Indian officials have focused on efforts to prevent the execution through the Islamic tradition of “diyat”, or paying “blood money’ to the victim's family.