New Delhi: Despite the fear of the execution of the death penalty, a ray of hope appears for Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who has been sentenced to death in Yemen. Subhash Chandran, the lawyer of Nimisha Priya's mother in Delhi High Court, said despite the decision of the approval of hanging by President of Yemen, an option is till left to save Nimisha's life by paying 'blood money'.
President Rashad Al-Alimi on Monday approved the death sentence of Priya, who was convicted of murder in the country. The execution is likely to be carried out within a month. According to Subhash Chandran, the lawyer of Nimisha's mother, Sharia law prevails in Yemen.
There is a provision for blood money under the law. According to him, on November 13, 2023, the Supreme Court of Yemen gave Nimisha Priya the last chance to escape the death penalty by paying blood money to the relatives of the deceased. In such a situation, even after the President approved the death sentence if the family of the deceased agrees for the blood money, then Nimisha's life can be saved.
Following the order of the Delhi High Court, Nimisha's mother Prema Kumari left for Yemen from Kerala on 20 April. On December 12, 2023, the Delhi High Court allowed Nimisha's mother to go to Yemen with an Indian citizen. The High Court had said that Prema Kumari would go on her own responsibility, the Center and the concerned state government would not be responsible for this. The court had directed the central government to exempt Prema Kumari from the advisory to go to Yemen.
Nimisha is accused of murdering Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2017. Nimisha is accused of giving Mahdi a narcotic substance, causing his death due to overdose. Nimisha, a trained nurse, took help from Mahdi to set up her clinic in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, in 2014.
According to Yemeni law, only citizens of that country are allowed to set up clinics and business firms in Yemen. Later, their relationship deteriorated and Mahadi allegedly took possession of Nimisha's passport. It is alleged that in order to escape from Mahadi's clutches, Nimisha made a plan with a Yemeni nurse and administered an injection of drugs to Mahdi.
