Yemen Court rejects appeal for Kerala nurse’s death penalty

The Supreme Court of Yemen has denied an appeal against the death sentence for Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse imprisoned since 2017 for the murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi. Priya allegedly injected Mahdi with sedatives in an attempt to retrieve her passport.

Despite a travel ban for Indian nationals to Yemen due to the ongoing civil war, Priya’s mother seeks permission to negotiate “blood money” with Mahdi’s family for her daughter’s release. The Delhi High Court urged the Centre to decide within a week on the travel request, citing a recent relaxation in the Yemen travel ban for specific reasons.

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The petitioner, represented by lawyer Subash Chandaran KR, argued that direct negotiations with the victim’s family are crucial, requiring the mother’s physical presence in Yemen. The Centre’s lawyer informed the high court of the potential relaxation in the travel ban.

Justice Subramonium Prasad ordered the Centre to decide on the representation within a week. The “Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council” had previously approached the court, urging diplomatic interventions and negotiations for Priya’s release, emphasizing adherence to the law in paying blood money.

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While the high court didn’t mandate negotiations for “blood money,” it directed the Centre to pursue legal measures against Priya’s conviction.