Nimisha Priya execution stay: India’s Grand Mufti Kanthapuram’s intervention pays off

The Yemeni government has frozen the execution of Nimisha Priya, the Malayali nurse awaiting capital punishment for allegedly killing a Yemeni national named Talal Abdo Mahdi. Her execution was earlier scheduled for Wednesday (July 16).

The government stayed the execution following the intervention of prominent Yemeni Islamic scholar Habib Omar bin Hafiz on the request of Grand Mufti of India and Sunni leader Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar.

Mr. Aboobacker Musliar, in a Facebook post at 2.20 p.m. on Tuesday (July 15, 2025), said the Yemeni government stayed the execution. He posted the government order in Arabic on his Facebook page.

Mr. Aboobacker Musliar thanked everyone who prayed for Nimisha’s life. He said “God’s grace be on them all.”

Mr. Aboobacker Musliar’s last-minute intervention on Sunday sparked a ray of hope as all other efforts to get a reprieve for Nimisha had failed.

He made the intervention following an appeal by a few politicians led by Congress leader Chandy Oommen.

Sheikh Habib Omar bin Hafiz, a much-respected scholar who is a member of the Yemen Shura Council and a follower of the Sufi order, entrusted his brother’s son Habib Abdurahman Ali Mashoor to initiate talks with Mahdi’s family.

Mr. Mashoor held several rounds of talks with Mahdi’s brother. Hudaida State court chief justice and Yemen Shura Council member too took part in the discussions on the request of Mr. Hafiz.

Sources close to Mr. Aboobacker Musliar said the murder of Mahdi, which took place in 2017, had made a deep emotional impact not only on the family of the deceased but also among the community at Dhamar in Yemen. “That was the reason why none could influence the family so far,” said one of the aides of Mr. Aboobacker Musliar.

He said Mahdi’s family could not reject the request of Mr. Hafiz. “Sheikh Habib Omar wields such respect among the people in Yemen. We are all hopeful that Mahdi’s family will forgive Nimisha Priya,” he said.