It was not the Yemeni president who signed the death sentence of Indian national Nimisha Priya. Instead, the sentence was signed by Houthi leader Mahdi al-Mashat, who controls Sana’a.

Several media outlets have inaccurately reported that Yemen’s president signed the sentence. It’s important to note that the Houthis, currently at war with Western-backed forces in the Middle East, maintain strong ties with Iran and are largely isolated from other international players.

India has been leveraging all possible diplomatic channels to secure Nimisha Priya’s release and bring her back to her home country. Speaking on the matter, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on Friday, “We are closely following the developments around the sentencing of Ms. Nimisha Priya. The government is extending all possible help in the matter.”

Under the Islamic judicial system, or Sharia, the only way to halt the execution now is by securing a pardon from the victim’s family. For months, Nimisha’s relatives and supporters have been working tirelessly to raise diyah, or blood money, to be paid to the victim’s family. Negotiations have been ongoing in an effort to save her life. Sources say that money is not a problem, as the family is receiving support from a host of Non-Resident Indians who have stepped forward to contribute generously.