'Indian Govt Offering All Possible Assistance': MEA On Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya's Case

New Delhi: Speaking on the case of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who is facing the death penalty in Yemen, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "This is a sensitive matter. The Government of India has been providing all possible assistance. We have given legal assistance and also appointed a lawyer to assist the family. We are in touch with the local authorities to help resolve the issue. This was done to buy more time for the family of Nimisha Priya to reach a common understanding with the other side."

"The Yemeni government has postponed her death sentence, which was scheduled for July 16. As for the role of the entity (Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad), I have no information to share,” the MEA said, responding to a question during the weekly press briefing.

Notably, Nimisha Priya was to be executed on Wednesday, but following the lengthy period of multipronged negotiations, her execution has been kept in abeyance.

Abdelfattah Expresses Family's Deep Displeasure

Abdelfattah Mehdi, brother of Talal Abdo Mehdi, who was allegedly murdered by Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya in 2017, has asserted that there can be no pardon for the crime. He said that Nimisha Priya has to be executed. Abdelfattah also expressed firmly the family's deep displeasure in the manner in which the Indian media has been "distorting things to portray the convicted as a victim."

What Is 'Blood Money'?

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the next part of the negotiation will centre around the 'blood money' that will be given.

Under Sharia law, 'blood money' is monetary compensation to the family of the person killed in exchange for forgiveness. It is an accepted practice

About The Case

Who Is Nimisha Priya?

Nimisha Priya is a trained nurse and has worked in private hospitals in Yemen for a few years. She moved to Yemen in 2008 for better opportunities. In 2011, she married Tomy Thomas, a native of Idukki. The couple settled in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, where they had a daughter.

Later, they decided to establish their own medical clinic. 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 in partnership 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.

The partnership deteriorated quickly. Nimisha was reportedly pressured into signing a deal granting 67 per cent ownership to Talal Abdo Mahdi and 33 per cent to her former employer. Once the clinic became profitable, Talal allegedly stopped sharing the earnings and took complete control. Priya's family claimed that when she confronted him, Talal became physically and verbally abusive.

The abuse extended beyond finances. Nimisha alleged that Talal physically and sexually assaulted her on several occasions. He reportedly confiscated her passport to restrict her movements and manipulated a wedding photograph to falsely claim they were married in court. He was jailed multiple times following Nimisha’s complaints.

In July 2017, Nimisha visited Talal in jail once more to retrieve her passport. A prison official allegedly suggested she sedate him to get it back. She injected him with sedatives, but he died of an overdose. She reportedly sought help from a fellow Yemeni nurse, who allegedly advised dismembering the body and disposing of it in a water tank. Both went into hiding but were later arrested. In 2020, a Yemeni lower court sentenced Nimisha to death.

(With inputs from IANS)

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