Latest news with #NimishaPriya
India.com
3 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Tweet Gone, But Grand Mufti Stands By His Claim: Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya's Death Sentence Waived, Victim's Family Nod Awaited
Thiruvananthapuram: Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, a Sunni grand mufti from Kerala, has stood by his claim that Yemeni authorities have agreed to waive the death sentence of Nimisha Priya, the Indian nurse convicted of murdering a Yemeni national in 2017. Made through a now-missing post on social media, the assertion has stirred cautious optimism as well as skepticism across diplomatic and public circles. Kanthapuram had shared the development in a tweet on Monday evening, claiming that following intense negotiations with Yemeni religious leaders and intermediaries, Nimisha's execution had been officially called off. The post was later deleted, but not by him, according to those close to the cleric. They say it disappeared after ANI itself took down its original report. Religious Channels Over Diplomatic Ones Kanthapuram's claim hinges on the influence of Yemen's religious clergy. According to his office, a delegation of Islamic scholars aligned with the powerful Hadhramaut-based cleric Habib Umar bin Hafiz played a key role in lobbying Houthi-led authorities in Northern Yemen. The message conveyed was one of mercy, allowing the possibility of diyya (blood money) or life imprisonment, rather than execution. He said in his statement, 'The Yemeni authorities have accepted our intervention in the matter. This is a great humanitarian step. The final decision now rests with the family of the deceased.' Though there is no official confirmation yet from Sanaa, the cleric's followers in Kerala and parts of the Gulf have shared the statement widely, hoping it signals a turning point in a high-stakes case that has gripped Malayali and human rights circles for years. Execution Was Due July 16 Nimisha Priya, a trained nurse from Palakkad, Kerala, was sentenced to death for the murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi. The killing took place in 2017 after a protracted period of alleged abuse, passport confiscation and reported threats. Nimisha claimed she acted in desperation, trying to escape back to India with her daughter. Earlier this month, her execution, which was scheduled for July 16, was postponed. Indian officials had attributed the delay to behind-the-scenes diplomatic intervention, particularly through humanitarian and consular channels. However, Kanthapuram's camp insists that religious diplomacy may have played a greater role. His emissaries have reportedly been in direct contact with spiritual leaders in Yemen who, in turn, liaised with political actors in the Houthi-controlled capital. A Yemeni Confirmation, Of Sorts Adding weight to Kanthapuram's claim was a Facebook post by Sarhan Shamsan Al Wiswabi, a Yemeni rights activist and spokesperson for Talal's family. In his post, Al Wiswabi acknowledged that religious leaders had 'succeeded in freezing the execution order' and that a 'legal shift toward alternative punishment, life sentence or pardon, was underway'. However, he reiterated that any clemency or sentence reduction ultimately depends on the will of the victim's family. Under Yemen's Sharia-based legal system, the family of the deceased has the right to reject or accept diyya. What Happens Next? The next step is likely a series of delicate negotiations with the Mahdi family. If they agree to accept diyya, Nimisha could either be spared execution and released after compensation or her sentence could be reduced to life imprisonment. Reports from Yemen suggest that tribal elders and religious authorities are still involved in trying to persuade the family to accept clemency. There has been no comment so far from official Yemeni legal authorities, nor from India's Ministry of External Affairs. Back in Kerala, a Divided Response While Kanthapuram's statement has been welcomed by supporters of the 'Save Nimisha Priya' campaign, public reaction across Kerala remains sharply divided. On one hand are those who see her as a victim of exploitation and injustice, caught in a brutal system. On the other, particularly in online forums, many argue that justice must also consider the victim's family and that mercy should not override murder. Some social media users from Kerala even left messages on Arabic posts asking the Mahdi family not to accept diyya, urging them to 'stand firm'. No Retraction, Says Cleric's Office Addressing questions about the deleted tweet, Kanthapuram's aides clarified that there was no change in his position. 'The tweet disappeared because the original ANI post was deleted. But Kanthapuram Musliyar stands by his words. The execution has been halted. The sentence has been waived. What remains is the family's decision,' a senior aide told reporters. Awaiting Official Word Despite the hopeful tone of Kanthapuram's message, the Indian government has not issued any official confirmation. A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment on the cleric's claim but reiterated that India continues to pursue 'all appropriate diplomatic avenues' for the safe return of its citizens. Whether the waiver claim holds and whether it translates into clemency for Nimisha now rests on two uncertain fronts – the silent bureaucracy of Houthi-controlled Yemen and the heart of one grieving family.
Gulf Today
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Victim's brother denies pardon for Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen, questions legitimacy of negotiations
Gulf Today Report Confusion surrounds the status of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya's death sentence in Yemen, as conflicting reports have surfaced regarding its cancellation. News agency ANI, citing reliable sources, reported on Tuesday that her death sentence has not been overturned, contradicting earlier claims made by other parties. 'Information being circulated by certain individuals regarding the Nimisha Priya case is inaccurate,' the sources told ANI. Despite recent reports hinting at a potential breakthrough in the case of Nimisha Priya, the victim's family has publicly denied any agreement or pardon. Abdul Fattah Mahdi, brother of the murdered Yemeni national Talal Mahdi, issued a strong rebuttal on Facebook, rejecting claims that he had forgiven Priya. He also raised concerns over the credibility of the ongoing negotiations surrounding the case. Mahdi argued that, under Islamic law, granting clemency in murder cases is not permissible. He also criticised the mediators involved in the talks, alleging that they failed to consult or coordinate with Talal's immediate family. Earlier, the office of Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar issued a statement claiming that a high-level meeting in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, had resulted in the full cancellation of the death sentence, which had previously been suspended. 'The death sentence of Nimisha Priya, which was earlier put on hold, has now been completely revoked,' the Grand Mufti's office had said. As of now, there is no official confirmation from Yemeni authorities regarding the reported decision. Priya's family, including her 13-year-old daughter Mishel and her husband Thomas, had travelled to Yemen in support of her case. They were accompanied by Indian Christian evangelist Dr. KA Paul, who has been advocating for her release. Together, they made an appeal to the Houthi authorities for leniency. In an emotional video shared by PTI, Mishel is seen expressing her love for her mother in both Malayalam and English, saying, 'I love you, mamma.' The audio, however, is not clearly audible. Last week, India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that it is closely monitoring the case and providing full support to Priya and her family. The ministry also stated that it is coordinating with 'friendly governments' to help resolve the matter diplomatically. Nimisha Priya had been sentenced to death in Yemen for the murder of a Yemeni national. Her case has drawn significant attention in India and abroad, with calls for diplomatic intervention and clemency on humanitarian grounds.
The National
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Brother of Yemeni murder victim demands new execution date for Indian nurse
The family of Yemeni citizen Talal Mahdi have urged authorities to expedite the execution of an Indian nurse convicted of his murder by setting a new date. Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala state, was granted a reprieve by Yemeni authorities when her execution date scheduled for July 16 at the Central Prison Square in Sanaa was postponed. Abdel Fattah Mahdi, Talal's brother, has also denied reports in the Indian media that an Indian spiritual leader won the family's forgiveness to revoke the death penalty. 'The execution has become mandatory by law and binding on all parties without any delay,' said a letter to Yemen's Public Prosecution signed by Abdel Mahdi on behalf of Mr Mahdi's close relatives. The plea called for the public prosecution to 'expedite the implementation of the death penalty against the convicted Indian national Nimisha Priya'. In the letter, the elder Mr Mahdi states that all approvals were obtained as per the final judgments in 2023, including ratification by Yemen's President and the Attorney General's order in 2024. 'The crime committed was beyond all bounds of humanity,' the family said in the petition posted by Mr Mahdi on Facebook. 'We urgently request your excellency to set a new date for the execution of the death sentence, which we firmly demand as our legitimate right, especially since we, the victim's family, have lost our loved one to an atrocious crime.' The family said all efforts at reconciliation had been exhausted. 'All attempts to negotiate and mediate have reached a dead end and we, the family of the victim, are unable to reach any compromise with the other party,' the plea said. Family demands retribution The family denied a claim publicised in the Indian media made by Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, a prominent Sunni leader also known as the Grand Mufti of India. The Grand Mufti's office said that, after 'high-level meetings' in Sanaa, the death sentence was officially cancelled. But the elder Mr Mahdi rejected this as 'categorically untrue'. He denied that close family members had met or spoken to the cleric, accepted reconciliation and that the death sentence was cancelled. 'We have not spoken to or negotiated with anyone, near or far, about reconciliation in the case of the Indian murderer. None whatsoever,' he said. 'And we will not allow anyone to impose any discussion or compromise at the expense of our blood and our indisputable right to have qisas (retribution) implemented.' Asking for justice and retribution for the murder of his younger sibling, Mr Mahdi said: 'Religion cannot serve as a pretext for pardon or a cover for the crime's ugliness.' He also pointed out that, as per Islamic Sharia and the Yemeni constitution, 'honouring the victim's family, recognising their pain, and upholding their right to see God's law enforced are obligations'. 'Guaranteeing these rights is among the highest principles of justice,' he added. Mr Mahdi spoke out against emotional propaganda and against the spiritual leader's claims of mercy 'at the expense of a pure body unjustly slaughtered, dismembered, and thrown into a water tank as if it were nothing'. 'Talal's blood will not become a bargaining chip in the marketplace of negotiations, nor a bridge for those trading in religion or personal interests,' he said. 'And let it be crystal clear: If any decision is to be made, it is ours to make. No one will override our right in the name of religion or mercy.' Critical phase Earlier, Yemen's prosecution authority had said the execution of Ms Priya would be 'postponed until a new date is announced'. This came after a petition from her mother Prema Kumari, who is in Sanaa to support the negotiations, and a request from the Indian government to stay the execution. The Indian family had offered $1 million in diya or blood money as compensation for Mr Mahdi's death. The funds were raised by Indians across the world, including expats in the UAE. Mr Mahdi has urged the public to remember how his family has suffered after the Indian nurse drugged his brother, cut his body into pieces, and hid it in plastic bags inside an underground tank. Ms Priya's supporters have asked for forgiveness and pardon, saying she had injected Mr Mahdi with sedatives to retrieve her passport that he had seized and that he had died of an accidental overdose. 'Our work continues to save Nimisha's life and we must also be sensitive to Talal's family,' Ms Deepa Joseph, a lawyer in India and vice-chairwoman of the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, told The National. 'What we know of the current situation is that Talal's family has said they have not spoken to the grand mufti and the family has moved the prosecutors to speed up the process to execute Nimisha. 'We ask that all parties are restrained as this is a critical phase.'
Arab Times
19 hours ago
- Arab Times
Indian nurse's death sentence in Yemen not overturned: sources
NEW DELHI, July 29: Contrary to earlier reports, the death sentence of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen has not been overturned, according to sources cited by news agency ANI on Tuesday. 'Information being shared by certain individuals on the Nimisha Priya case is inaccurate,' the sources said, refuting claims that the Yemeni authorities had cancelled her capital punishment. The clarification came shortly after a statement from the office of the Indian Grand Mufti claimed that the death sentence had been revoked following a high-level meeting in Sanaa. "The death sentence of Nimisha Priya, which was previously suspended, has been overturned," the Mufti's office said earlier, suggesting that a decision had been made to cancel the suspended sentence entirely. However, sources familiar with the matter dismissed this account, asserting that no such formal cancellation has been confirmed by Yemeni authorities. Nimisha Priya, a 37-year-old nurse from Kerala, had moved to Yemen in 2008 in pursuit of better employment opportunities. In 2015, she entered into a partnership with a Yemeni national, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to establish a medical clinic—an arrangement necessitated by Yemeni laws prohibiting foreign ownership of businesses. What began as a professional collaboration, however, soon turned into a harrowing ordeal. According to Priya's family, Mahdi used a doctored wedding photograph taken during a trip to India to falsely claim he was married to her. He then reportedly took over the clinic, seized her earnings, and subjected her to ongoing abuse — ranging from physical assault and drug-induced attacks to the confiscation of her passport to restrict her movements. Her attempts to seek help allegedly led to her being briefly jailed, rather than being protected by law enforcement. Desperate to escape, Nimisha reportedly attempted to sedate Mahdi to retrieve her passport. However, the dosage proved fatal, leading to his death by overdose. She was subsequently arrested and convicted of murder, receiving a death sentence under Yemeni law. The case has drawn widespread attention in India and abroad, with human rights advocates and government representatives seeking diplomatic avenues for clemency. Although her sentence had previously been suspended, hopes that it would be overturned appear premature based on the latest clarifications from official sources.
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First Post
19 hours ago
- Business
- First Post
Lag between Introduction to implementation: Why gig economy needs a human touch
An International Labour Organisation report defined the gig economy as 'labour markets that are characterized by independent contracting that happens through, via, and on digital platforms.' This sector boomed at the onset of the Covid-19 crisis and has continued to grow exponentially globally with a compounded annual growth rate of 16.18 per cent between 2025 and 2033. Most digital labour platforms classify gig workers as 'independent contractors' or 'freelancers'. This means they shift the risks associated with labour onto the workers themselves and reduce labour costs. Most importantly they represent the company they work for but they are not on their payrolls. Workers, in return, theoretically gain flexibility and autonomy over their working hours. This fundamental model has been adopted worldwide by platforms like DoorDash, Uber, Glovo, and Swiggy among others. However, as the gig economy has grown, so have its problems. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dark side of the gig boom In 2025 the Human Rights Watch published an article titled The Gig Trap: Algorithmic, Wage and Labor Exploitation in Platform Work in the US, which detailed the condition of the gig economy in the United States and the exploitative practices workers are forced to endure. Those deliveries within minutes from food to books to apparel display the might of the digital but hide the miseries of those that land on your doorstops to deliver. These digital platforms shadow their workers constantly more to monitor rather than secure and collect data on everything they do from 'office badge swipes, email exchanges, browsing histories, keystrokes, driving patterns, and rest times' to social media usage and health and fitness habits. Mobile usage is a phenomenon in India and the apps that make daily lives easier for the people whether you are based in a Tier-1 or Tier-2 city or even a Tier-3 area are being used daily at madding pace. There is no doubt that the gig trend has increasingly generated jobs over the years but unfortunately even India is not free from the algorithmic management of the workforce who live under constant pressure to perform and maximise on deliveries. Gig workers are perennially caught in the nightmarish thoughts that their IDs will be suspended or their accounts will be deactivated if they don't fulfill the unknown requirements of the algorithm. More from India Has Nimisha Priya been pardoned in Yemen? How Grand Mufti's big claim has been refuted Additionally, aggregators have begun to take higher commissions with companies like Uber and Ola taking 40 per cent and 30 per cent commissions, respectively, from their drivers. Long shifts, unsafe working conditions, and dangerous driving have grown to be a part of every Indian gig worker's life. The gig economy is a sector with massive potential in the Indian context, with the ability to provide up to 90 million non-farm jobs and an additional 1.25 per cent to the GDP in the long-term. However, as platforms become ambitious and workers become frustrated, the widespread labour rights issues could overshadow the economic boom. Global push for platform regulation A pioneer in gig economy legislation, Spain's left-wing government passed the Rider's Law in August 2021. This law reclassifies Spain's food-delivery 'riders' from freelancers to employees, thus giving them access to rights such as fixed pay and sick leave. However, platform companies in the Spanish market such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats have found it easier to face the fines incurred by non-compliance rather than reclassify their delivery riders as employees and raise operational costs. Three years after the law passed, facing legal challenges, Glovo announced its decision to switch to an employment-based model. This switch is predicted to lose the company €100 million in profits over 2025. Spain's story is a key example in the progress of gig economy regulation: the introduction of laws with lagging implementation. India is one of the largest contributors to the global gig economy and, according to Niti Aayog, is projected to grow to 25-35 million gig workers by 2029-30. Unfortunately, this gross expansion comes at the cost of the workers themselves. Rajasthan, under the Congress chief minister Ashok Gehlot, pioneered gig economy regulation in 2023 when it passed The Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act, 2023. However, two years and a change in governance later, the Act is still to be implemented. In May 2025, Karnataka passed The Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Ordinance, 2025 in an attempt to regulate the gig economy after an increase in strikes in the Bengaluru region. Implementation of the measures detailed in the Act are said to begin six months after passing, and thus only time will tell. Both the International Monetary Fund and World Bank have recognised the labour rights issues of the gig economy as an important one. The IMF recognises that regulating gig economy platforms as employers is a central public policy issue. This would enable the gig workers to formally engage in collective bargaining and create a grievance redressal mechanism. It also emphasises the need for regulations that address income instability, lack of job security, and the absence of social protection for gig workers. The World Bank has noted that inclusive legal infrastructure is considered crucial for sustainable gig work and consequently recommends an incremental, data-driven approach. By using regulatory sandboxes to innovate and experiment with social insurance, collect gig worker data, and build a regulatory framework, the World Bank presents a model that can allow stakeholders to keep pace with digital labour markets. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When interests collide The gig economy is new. New for consumers, for labourers, for business, and for the government. It is ultimately a game of satisficing where companies look for profit, workers look for salary and the government looks for policy. As the gig economy and digital labour markets dynamically evolve and change, countries around the world attempt to regulate them. The problem, however, will not be the introduction of laws but rather the implementation of them. For a country like India, where digital is the newfound soul to function, the government must ensure that the hearts that beat behind this revolution are not caught in an unending tale of despair. From labour-friendly policy formation to ensuring companies follow them to the tee or else face strict penalties, the government can make a huge difference in the way the country's gig economy functions. Unlike Spain, where profit-driven businesses stand in defiance of increasing regulatory pressures that have been mounting since 2021, India can script a hopeful and helpful gig economy future.
