Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: In a final effort to save her, Nimisha Priya’s family has offered $1 million (Rs 8.6 crore) as ‘blood money’ to the victim’s family under Yemen’s Sharia law, which allows for the possibility of pardon in such cases. Nimisha, an Indian nurse on death row in Yemen, faces execution on July 16 for the alleged 2018 murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi. Yemen’s President Rashad al-Alimi approved her execution earlier this year. Nimisha 37, from Kerela is jailed in a region of Yemen and set for execution on July 16.I
Speaking to NDTV, Babu John, an activist with the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, 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. 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.”
Baby John further explained, “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.”
As her family and the Indian Government continue negotiations, the ‘blood money’ or ‘diya’ remains the only realistic legal route for securing a pardon and halting her execution.
