Indian Nurse on Death Row in Yemen Awaits Pardon from Victim's Family
Nimisha Priya, a 34-year-old Indian nurse, is currently on death row in Yemen after being convicted of murdering her former business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi. Her family is urging the victim’s relatives to grant a pardon, the only means to prevent her execution under Yemen's Islamic judicial system.
Nimisha was sentenced to death in 2020 after Mahdi's dismembered body was found in a water tank, a case that has seen numerous legal twists and appeals from her family. Following the approval of her death sentence by Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Houthi Rebels' Supreme Political Council, her family is focused on raising "diyah," or blood money, to negotiate a settlement with Mahdi's family.
Efforts to communicate directly with the victim's family are prohibited by Yemen's laws, requiring Nimisha's family to enlist negotiators. So far, they have successfully crowdfunded around $40,000 to assist in the negotiations, but the outcome remains uncertain as time runs short. "We need to explore the scope for discussions with the family, which is only possible with the Indian government's support," said Subhash Chandran, a lawyer for Nimisha's family.
India's Foreign Ministry is aware of the situation and is providing assistance. Nimisha's family remains hopeful, reflecting on their emotional reunions and their longing for her eventual return.
With the support of her husband Tony Thomas and her mother Prema Kumari, who has traveled to Yemen, the family continues to fight for her life, stressing the importance of her presence in their daughter's life.
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