Kerala nurse, Nimisha Priya’s death sentence confirmed by Yemeni Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Yemen has rejected the appeal of Kerala-based nurse, Nimisha Priya, confirming her death sentence in a murder case dating back to 2018. Nimisha, who worked as a nurse in Yemen, was sentenced to death in connection to the death of Talol Abdo Mahdi, who held her passport and allegedly harassed her. She appealed against the verdict, but the Yemeni court dismissed her appeal on the 13th of this month.
Nimisha’s mother had petitioned the Delhi High Court to allow her to go to Yemen and rescue her daughter. The High Court has asked the Indian government to make a decision within a week regarding this request.
Nimisha, who hails from Palakkad, Kerala, claims that she administered anesthesia to Mahdi in an attempt to retrieve her passport, and did not intend to kill him. However, following his death, she was arrested and subsequently sentenced to death in 2018.
“I anesthetized him to recover my passport from him. I had no intention of killing him. He died unexpectedly,” Nimisha Priya stated.
In light of the ban on Indians traveling to Yemen due to ongoing internal insurgency, Nimisha’s father was unable to go to Yemen. Therefore, her mother had filed a petition with the Delhi High Court requesting the central government’s assistance in relaxing the ban and allowing her to go to Yemen. The court has directed the central government to make a decision within a week, taking into consideration the petitioner’s request.
Nimisha Priya is now preparing to meet Mahdi’s family to attempt to reconcile and offer compensation for his death. Her lawyer argued in court, “She wants to recover her daughter and offer compensation to the family of the deceased Mahdi. Only if she goes to Yemen, can she hold smooth talks with the Mahdi family.”
The case sheds light on the complexities and challenges faced by individuals caught in legal battles abroad in the midst of political and legal turmoil.