Kerala nurse on death row in Yemen to be executed on July 16
Priya, from Kerala's Palakkad, was imprisoned in Yemen for the alleged murder of Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mehdi in July 2017.
In 2020, she was sentenced to death by a trial court in the capital Sanaa. Her appeal was rejected by the Yemeni Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. However, it kept open the option of paying blood money, or the amount paid in compensation to the family of a person who has been killed.
On December 30, news reports claimed that Al-Alimi, who is the chairperson of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, had approved the death sentence handed to Priya.
'Options are still open,' Samuel Jerome Baskaran, a social worker involved in negotiations with the Yemeni government and Mehdi's family, was quoted as saying by The Indian Express on Tuesday. 'The government of India can intervene in the matter to save her life.'
India's Ministry of External Affairs had said on December 31 that it was aware of the situation and was extending help to Priya and her family in the matter.
Priya's mother has been negotiating with Mehdi's family to secure a waiver of the death sentence.
Priya went to Yemen in 2008 to help her parents, who were daily wage labourers. She worked at hospitals in Yemen before starting her clinic in 2015.
Differences came up between Priya and Mehdi, her business partner, after she questioned him about the alleged embezzlement of funds, her family has claimed.
Priya's mother alleged in a plea that Mehdi tortured her daughter under the influence of drugs for years and held her at gunpoint several times. The plea also alleged that Mehdi confiscated Priya's passport so that she could not leave the country.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘Nimisha Priya faces execution in Yemenon July 16'
Kochi: Keralite nurse Nimisha Priya, currently on death row at the central prison in Yemen's capital Sana'a for the murder of a Yemeni national, is scheduled to be executed on July 16, according to human rights activist Samuel Jerome, who holds the power of attorney for Nimisha's mother Prema Kumari. However, there has been no official confirmation of the execution date from the Indian embassy in Yemen, ministry of external affairs (MEA) or Save Nimisha Priya Action Council. Jerome said the execution order was issued by the public prosecutor's office and handed over to prison authorities, who fixed July 16 as the date. Nimisha, a native of Kollengode in Palakkad, was accused of murdering Talal Abdo Mahdi — with whom she had started a health clinic in Sana'a and later reportedly entered into a marriage — in July 2017. She allegedly chopped his body and dumped the body parts in a water tank. Mahdi had reportedly tortured Nimisha and illegally seized her passport, which led to the murder. A trial court sentenced her to death in 2018, a verdict later upheld by an appeals court. Jerome said Nimisha and the MEA had been informed of the execution decision. He added that negotiations with Mahdi's family and tribal leaders over the payment of blood money would be expedited in view of the prison authorities' decision. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it better to shower in the morning or at night? Here's what a microbiologist says CNA Read More Undo "Hope still remains. Mahdi's family can forgive her even at the last moment. Govt of India can also intervene now for her release...," said Jerome, who added that he will arrive in Yemen on Wednesday to hold further discussions. Subhash Chandran of the Save Nimisha Priya Action Council, however, said they had not received any confirmation of the execution date. "We are in close contact with multiple organisations in Yemen and embassy officials. We have not received any information regarding the execution so far," he said. Negotiations for Nimisha's release suffered a major setback last year when the lawyer appointed by the Indian Embassy demanded a pre-negotiation fee of over Rs 15 lakh. The action council managed to arrange $40,000 through mediators, but the effort fell through midway. Subhash said the council had established contact with Mahdi's family and was working to start negotiation talks, although the family has yet to make a demand for blood money. The prevailing political situation in Yemen is also a major challenge to secure Nimisha's release. While Sana'a is under the control of Houthi militias, the rest of the country is governed by an internationally recognised, Saudi-backed govt and UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC). The Yemeni embassy in Delhi represents the Saudi-backed govt and has no official ties with the Houthis.
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
In regular touch with local authorities: Sources on death row of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen
New Delhi [India], July 8 (ANI): Sources have noted that they are closely following the matter on the Nimisha Priya case of Yemen where she was convicted for the crime of murder in Yemen in June 2018. According to sources, the matter continues to be closely followed. As per the sources, 'Ms. Nimisha Priya was convicted for the crime of murder in Yemen in June 2018 and the local court handed out death sentence to her. We have been closely following the matter since then. We have been in regular touch with local authorities and her family members and rendered all possible assistance. We continue to closely follow the matter.' This comes amid reports of 37-year-old Indian nurse from Kerala scheduled to be executed on July 16. The trial court convicted her of killing the Yemeni national, a decision that was upheld by the country's Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. Previously, MEA confirmed its awareness of the death sentence handed to Nimisha Priya and assured that the government is providing all possible assistance. Earlier in response to media queries regarding the case of Nimisha Priya, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, 'We are aware of the sentencing of Ms. Nimisha Priya in Yemen. We understand that the family of Ms. Priya is exploring relevant options. The government is extending all possible help in the matter.' Earlier this year in January, the Indian government had reaffirmed its commitment to assisting Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse who has been sentenced to death in Yemen. 'We are closely following the developments' said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal. Nimisha Priya, who is sentenced to death in Yemen, is a trained nurse and has worked in private hospitals in Yemen for a few years. Her husband and minor daughter returned to India in 2014 because of financial reasons and in that same year, Yemen was gripped by civil war, and they could not go back as the country stopped issuing new visas. Later in 2015, Nimisha joined hands with a Yemeni citizen, Talal Abdo Mahdi to set up her clinic in Sana. She sought Mahdi's support because, under Yemen's law, only nationals are allowed to set up clinics and business firms. In 2015, Mahdi accompanied Nimisha Priya to Kerala when she came for a month-long holiday. During the visit, he stole a wedding photograph of Nimisha, which he later manipulated to claim that he was married to her. A plea moved by mother of Nimisha Priya had stated, 'After a while, Nimisha's clinic began, Mahdi manipulated the ownership documents of the clinic. He also began to take money out of her monthly earnings after telling everyone that Nimisha was his wife Nimisha had alleged that Mahdi had been harassing her and her family for years. Mahdi also seized her passport. This was done to ensure that she would not leave Yemen. He tortured her under the influence of drugs. He threatened her at gunpoint several times. He took all the money from the clinic and her ornaments.' The plea further alleged that unable to cope with the torture, Nimisha complained to the police in Sana but instead of taking action against Mahdi, the police arrested her and put her in jail for six days. It was further alleged that on her return from jail, the severity of the torture increased manifold. In July 2017, Nimisha took the help of a warden of a jail located near her clinic. The warden suggested that she should try to sedate him, and then convince him to give her passport. However, sedation did not affect Mahdi, who was a substance abuser. She tried sedating him again, using a stronger sedative in order to retrieve her passport but he died within a few minutes due to a drug overdose. (ANI)
&w=3840&q=100)
India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
Kerala Nurse On Yemen's Death Row Faces Execution On July 16; Family's Final Plea As Time Slips Away
New Delhi: A mother sits in Kochi. Wrinkled fingers clutch a photo. Her daughter smiles in it – a nurse in crisp white. The daughter, Nimisha Priya, now waits in a prison cell in Yemen. On July 16, she is scheduled to die by execution. She moved to Yemen in 2008, carrying a stethoscope and hope. Her parents were aging. She needed to support them. For years, she worked in hospitals. She treated wounds. She took blood pressure. She spoke Arabic with nurses. She earned trust. Then she opened her own clinic. Yemeni law requires foreign business owners to partner with locals. That is when Talal Abdo Mahdi entered her life. He became her partner. Their partnership turned bitter. Nimisha filed a complaint. The police arrested Mahdi in 2016. Later, he was released. Her family says the threats never stopped. The threats turned into fear. Fear led to a desperate step. Her family claims she injected Mahdi with sedatives to get back her passport. She wanted to flee. The dosage turned fatal. Mahdi died. She was caught before she could leave Yemen. In 2018, a Yemeni court sentenced her for murder. The Supreme Judicial Council confirmed the verdict last year. The President of Yemen signed off on her execution. The date was fixed for July 16. Her mother, who cleans homes in Kerala for a living, sold the house. The walls, the windows and the roof – all gone. Every rupee went into trying to bring her daughter back. Lawyer Subhash Chandran says she was not alone. Businessmen, activists and NRIs – all formed a group. They called it the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council. The council tried everything. In Yemen, the legal system allows 'blood money' – a compensation paid to the victim's family. If accepted, it can stop an execution. But there was a catch. The victim's family would decide the amount. Neither the court nor the government decides it. Talks began. Then they stopped. In September 2024, the process collapsed. Abdullah Ameer, the lawyer hired by the Indian Embassy, asked for $20,000 before even starting negotiations. The Ministry of External Affairs released $19,871. Still, Ameer said he wanted $40,000. Half before, half later. The council turned to crowdfunding. People donated. The first installment was raised. But soon, new problems surfaced. Donors demanded transparency. Where was the money going? Who was handling it? Questions grew. Answers did not. The Indian government said it was pursuing the case. But the clock kept ticking. Her mother spoke again in January. Her voice trembled. Her eyes did not. She thanked everyone. Then she begged, 'This is my last plea. Please help us save her life. Time is running out.' Yemen's laws are harsh. The death penalty applies in several cases such as murder, treason, apostasy, homosexuality, drug trafficking and even adultery. Nimisha's case falls under murder. Its penalty is execution. For her, there are no more appeals left. No more hearings. Just days. Her story now lies in the hands of diplomats, negotiators and strangers who might still care enough to help.
