Pardon By Yemeni Man's Family Only Real Hope For Nurse On Death Row: Activist

The family of the Yemeni national who was allegedly killed by Nimisha Priya has been offered $1 million (Rs 8.6 crore) by her family as 'blood money' and the only real hope for the Indian nurse - whose execution date has been set for July 16 - is if the man's relatives pardon her, an activist involved with the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council has said.

Priya, the activist said, has been serving as a medical professional in the jail, helping her fellow inmates.

The nurse had moved to Yemen in 2008 to financially support her parents and, after working in several hospitals, started a clinic of her own. Complying with Yemen's regulations that require foreign nationals to have a local partner for businesses, the 37-year-old  partnered with a Yemeni man, Talal Abdo Mehdi, who harassed her constantly.

Mehdi had also seized her passport and, in 2017, she injected him with sedatives, hoping to incapacitate him long enough to take the document back. Mehdi died, however, and Priya was arrested while attempting to leave the country. 

Speaking to NDTV on Friday, activist Babu John said, "The status is that the power of attorney holder for Nimisha's family, Samuel Jerome, who is already in Yemen's Sana'a, is leading the negotiation from our side. It took many months to negotiate and we have proposed $1 million to save Nimisha Priya. The Yemeni man's family has not said yes or no. Once the family says yes, we will mobilise the funds and give them to the family if they are ready to pardon Nimisha." 

"That is the important thing. Apart from the money, within the Sharia law, which is prevailing in Yemen, we are requesting the family to pardon Nimisha for whatever she did or whatever she is accused of. If the family is ready to pardon with or without money... anyway we are ready to pay $1 million. That is the offer," he added.

'India Big Power'

Under Yemeni law, the payment of 'blood money' is the main punishment for unintentional killing. The payment, called 'diya', can also be made in murder cases if the family waives the right to 'qisas' (eye for an eye - execution in the case of murder).

The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, he said, was formed in September 2020 after speaking to her family and has been working with Indians all over the world, mobilising support from the political parties and seeking help from the governments of India and Yemen to ensure Priya is pardoned. 

Mr John said the India government had appointed a Yemeni lawyer to represent her in the courts there, but all petitions were denied. Her conviction was upheld by the country's Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023 and the president of Yemen also approved the death sentence. Her execution date has been set for July 16. 

"Now the only hope is that the Yemeni man's family pardons Nimisha... India is a big power in this region and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a good name and a big reputation. If the Indian government asks the Houthi rebel government (the Houthis control key portions of northern and western Yemen, including the capital Sana'a) in Yemen, it will be done... The Yemeni person has died and we would like to help his family," the activist said. 

"The Yemeni law is that even now, and even an hour before the execution, she can be saved if the family pardons her," he explained. 

Helping Others

Priya, Mr John said, was trapped in Yemen because of the war and everything that happened did so because she wanted to get her passport back. This, he said, will be a lesson for all Indians, the government and the diaspora, on how Indians trapped abroad can be helped. 

To a question on how her family is coping, especially her mother, who has been in Yemen for a year to help, Mr John said, "Almost every day, we have been having direct communications with Nimisha with the help of the jail authorities because she's doing good in Yemen. She's serving as a doctor inside the jail. So, they also help to get mobile phones. And even this morning we had a conversation through WhatsApp. We are all expecting, and even the jail authorities in Yemen are expecting, that Nimisha will be saved. "

The problem, Mr John said, is the civil war there and the fact that India does not have diplomatic relations with the Houthis. 

"Nimisha is asking the Indian government to intervene quickly and she is hopeful that she will be saved when that happens. So, she is requesting and praying and confessing all the mistakes she has made," he said.