'Nimisha Priya must face execution': Kin of murdered Yemeni refuses pardon for Kerala woman
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The family of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi, for whose murder Kerala-born nurse Nimisha Priya was sentenced to death, has firmly rejected any proposals for a pardon. They insist that Nimisha must face execution as mandated by Yemeni courts, TOI reported. Abdelfattah Mahdi , Talal's brother, expressed their stance, said, "Nimisha won't be pardoned; she must face execution, as ruled by Yemeni courts."On the eve of the scheduled execution, Yemeni authorities decided to postpone the execution order, which briefly raised hopes in Kerala for a potential breakthrough in negotiations. However, Abdelfattah Mahdi dismissed these optimistic developments, emphasizing their unwavering demand for retribution."What is happening today, and all the talk of mediation and reconciliation attempts, is neither new nor surprising," he said. He further said, "Throughout the years of pursuing our case, there were covert efforts and serious attempts at mediation - and that is natural and expected. But the pressures we faced did not change us. Our demand is clear: qisas (retribution) and nothing else, no matter what."Abdelfattah expressed surprise at the last-minute postponement of the execution, indicating that the Mahdi family did not anticipate this intervention. He said, "Those who stopped it are well aware of our absolute rejection of any form or method of reconciliation. We will follow through with the execution until it is carried out... Blood cannot be bought. Justice cannot be forgotten."Nimisha Priya, who has been on death row since 2018, hails from Kollengode in Palakkad. She was convicted of murdering Talal, with whom she had co-established a clinic in Sana'a, after he allegedly tortured her and confiscated her passport.In an effort to mediate, Sunni leader Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Muslaiyar, known as the "Grand Mufti" of India, has sought assistance from Yemeni Islamic scholar Sheikh Habib Omar to persuade the Mahdi family to accept blood money and grant a pardon to Nimisha.Meanwhile, the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council reported, "We have been waging a legal battle and making diplomatic moves to rescue Nimisha Priya for the past five years. Talks between Musaliyar and the family over blood money are becoming complicated... This is creating problems for Nimisha's acquittal."(With inputs from TOI)
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