Nimisha Priya, a 37-year-old Indian nurse, is currently imprisoned in Yemen after being convicted of murder.
Her family is now pinning their hopes on a final opportunity to save her life: a pardon from the victim’s family, in exchange for ‘blood money’ (Diyya).
A Tragic Chain of Events
Nimisha Priya, from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, India, was sentenced to death in 2020 for the murder of her former business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi.
In 2017, the dismembered remains of Mahdi were discovered in a water tank in Sana’a.
Nimisha, who ran a clinic in Yemen with the victim, was accused of giving him an overdose of sedatives to retrieve her passport, which Mahdi had taken from her. She claimed that she acted out of self-defense due to abuse by Mahdi.
Despite her defense, her family’s appeal in November 2023 was rejected by Yemen’s Supreme Court, and the death sentence remained in place.
The Path to Mercy: ‘Blood Money’
According to The Hindustan Times, under Yemen’s Sharia law, a person sentenced to death can sometimes avoid execution if the victim’s family agrees to forgive them in exchange for a payment of ‘blood money’ (Diyya).
This financial compensation could save Nimisha’s life if Mahdi’s family accepts it.
Her family has raised around $40,000 (approx. 54,525.14 SGD) for this purpose and is working with Indian officials and lawyers to negotiate with Mahdi’s family for a possible pardon, as reported by BBC.
Family’s Emotional Struggle
Nimisha’s family is filled with both hope and worry. Her husband, Tony Thomas, is especially concerned about their 13-year-old daughter, who has never known the warmth of her mother’s care.
Nimisha’s mother, Prema Kumari, has traveled to Yemen, offering emotional support and visiting her daughter in prison during these difficult times.
The Role of the Indian Government
The Indian government has been actively involved in assisting Nimisha’s family.
The Ministry of External Affairs is closely monitoring the situation, offering support to facilitate the negotiations with Mahdi’s family, hoping to secure a pardon through the blood money process.
Execution Status
Nimisha is still in prison, and the process is ongoing. According to the Yemeni Embassy, President Rashad al-Alimi has yet to ratify her death sentence, which means her execution has not been finalized.
This contradicts earlier reports that Alimi had approved the death sentence for the Kerala nurse.
Without this ratification, her fate remains uncertain. If Mahdi’s family accepts the blood money and pardons her, the execution will be stopped. Until that happens, Nimisha will remain in prison.
As the deadline for her execution draws near, her family’s last hope lies in securing a pardon through the blood money process.
This is their chance to seek mercy, which could bring an end to this painful ordeal.
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