Kerala nurse on death row: Blood money only hope

January 02, 2025 15:39

Family members and human rights activists in Kerala are clinging to hope for a last-minute pardon for Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse whose death sentence was confirmed by Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi for the alleged murder of a Yemeni national.

She has been imprisoned in a Yemeni jail since 2017 for the crime.

"If the family of the victim, Talal Abdo Mahdi, agrees to accept blood money and pardon Nimisha Priya, her life can be saved. We remain hopeful, but urgent support from the Union Government is crucial. We are prepared to pay the required amount," Babu John, a member of the 'Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council,' told PTI.

"Despite the lack of bilateral ties between India and civil war-torn Yemen, our diplomatic efforts could still bring about a positive outcome," an optimistic Babu John added.

Nimisha Priya, hailing from Kollengode in Kerala's Palakkad district, has been reportedly handed capital punishment for allegedly murdering a Yemeni citizen. Reports said Priya was handed capital punishment by a trial court in 2020 and Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council upheld the verdict in November 2023. Yemen's President Rashad al-Alimi has reportedly approved Priya's death sentence.

In November 2023, Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council upheld the death sentence but left room for a possible reprieve through blood money (diya) a settlement with the victim's family according to Babu John. This slim chance of clemency has been the focus of the council's efforts to save the nurse's life. Following repeated requests, a Yemeni lawyer was appointed to handle the case, and he negotiated the diya amount to 40,000 Dollars, John added.

The council, through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), facilitated the payment in two installments. However, the execution order received presidential approval on December 30, even as the proceedings were ongoing. The diya payment was completed on December 27.

The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council raised funds for legal fees and negotiations through a crowdfunding campaign. According to reports, the execution is scheduled to take place within a month. The council said if they are demanding for more money it can be paid.

"We urgently need intervention, and we are ready to provide the required amount," Babu John, who worked in Yemen for several years and has been actively involved in the case, said.

"Our efforts have managed to delay the execution by nearly seven years, and she is still alive," K L Balachandran, the lawyer representing Priya since 2017, told PTI. He also expressed optimism about the possibility of bringing Priya back home.

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