The family of an Indian Christian woman are making a desperate final bid to save her life, as she is due to be put to death in Yemen.

Nimisha Priya, 34, is a nurse and mother who was sentenced to death in 2020 for the alleged murder of her business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, who she claims was abusing her.

This week, the president of the rebel Houthis' Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Mashat, approved her execution.

Under Yemen’s Sharia law, the only way to spare Nimisha’s life is to secure forgiveness from the deceased’s family through a ‘blood money’ payment.

Samuel Jerome, a Yemen-based social worker, told BBC News that the power to override the execution lies with Mahdi’s family.

"If they say they do not want to or can pardon her, the sentence would be immediately stopped," he said.

Aged just 19, Nimisha travelled from India to Yemen to set up her own practice. She hoped for her husband, Tony Thomas, and young daughter to join her.

According to Yemeni law, she had to partner with a local businessman. She partnered with Mahdi.

Allegedly, Mahdi stole Nimisha’s money and passport and threatened her with a gun, according to a court petition filed by Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council. Nimisha also states that she was physically tortured by Mahdi.

In 2017, his body was discovered in pieces in a water tank. It was held that Nimisha has poisoned him with sedatives before dismembering him.

Nimisha’s lawyer states that she never intended to kill him, but wanted to knock him unconscious through the sedatives so she could take back her passport.

Her husband and mother are now determined to do all they can to spare her.

Nimisha's mother is set to travel over 12 hours' drive to visit Mahdi’s family, and beg a pardon. Christians are being urged to pray for the family.