Indian nurse on death row in Yemen given stay of execution
A petition filed last week by Prema Kumari, Ms Priya's mother, and an Indian social worker currently in Yemen seeking to prevent the execution of the 34-year-old nurse from India's southern Kerala state on July 16 has been accepted.
'We got confirmation about the stay today,' Deepa Joseph, a lawyer in India and vice-chairwoman of the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, told The National.
'We knocked on every door because we needed time. The application for a stay of execution was filed three days ago. We are relieved as it gives more time to talk to the family of the victim.'
No details were available on a new date for execution. The family of the Yemeni victim has yet to respond to the offer of $1 million as diya, or blood money, from Ms Priya's mediators, Ms Joseph said.
Indian media also reported on Tuesday that Ms Priya's execution had been delayed based on information from government sources.
Final negotiations
The Indian nurse faces the death sentence over the murder of Talal Mahdi, a Yemeni citizen and her business partner, after police found his dismembered body in a water tank in 2017.
She has been in jail in Sanaa for the past eight years and the hopes of her family hinge on Mr Mahdi's relatives granting a pardon.
'There is only one solution for Nimisha and that is for a pardon from the family,' Ms Joseph said. 'We are happy with this stay, as now we can continue talks and go through all procedures to approach the family members.'
Under Sharia, the only way to halt an execution is an unconditional pardon by the victim's family or an acceptance of blood money. Diya is usually paid to the heirs of the deceased by the party found responsible for causing the death.
Supporters of Ms Priya have been working for several years to mobilise funds and public opinion to commute her death sentence.
They had earlier raised $40,000 through crowdfunding and the money was split in two instalments and sent to lawyers in Yemen hired by the Indian government for Ms Priya's defence.
The blood money was raised to $1 million this month after business leaders, prominent industrialists, the community in Kerala and overseas, including the UAE, pitched in.
Ms Priya was 19 when she went to Yemen to work as a nurse in 2008. During the trial in Yemen, her lawyer alleged she was physically and mentally abused by Mr Mahdi, who was said to have confiscated her passport, leaving her unable to travel to India to meet her mother, husband and young daughter.
Her lawyer argued that she had injected Mr Mahdi with sedatives so she could retrieve her passport but this led to his death from an accidental overdose.
A court in Sanaa sentenced her death in 2020, her family's appeal was rejected in 2023 by Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council and her execution was approved in January this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
Air India crash rekindles debate over cockpit video recorders
SEATTLE: The deadly Air India crash last month has renewed a decades-old debate in the aviation industry over installing video cameras monitoring airline pilot actions to complement the cockpit voice and flight data recorders already used by accident investigators. One of the industry's most influential voices, International Air Transport Association head Willie Walsh, a former airline pilot, said on Wednesday in Singapore there was a strong argument for video cameras to be installed in airliner cockpits to monitor pilot actions to complement voice and flight data recorders already used by accident investigators. Aviation experts have said a preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) raised questions over whether one of the pilots of Air India flight 171 cut off fuel to the Boeing 787's engines seconds after takeoff, leading to an irrecoverable situation. The crash in Ahmedabad, India, killed 241 of the 242 people aboard, as well as 19 people on the ground. As of now, "based on what little we know now, it's quite possible that a video recording, in addition to the voice recording would significantly assist the investigators in conducting that investigation on the issue of mental health," Walsh said. Advocates for cockpit video cameras say the footage could fill in gaps left by the audio and data recorders, while opponents say concerns about privacy and misuse outweigh what they argue are marginal benefits for investigations. Video footage was "invaluable" to Australian crash investigators determining what led to Robinson R66 helicopter breaking up in mid-air in 2023, killing the pilot, the only person aboard, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's final report, which was released 18 days after the Air India crash. The video showed "the pilot was occupied with non-flying related tasks for much of this time, specifically, mobile phone use and the consumption of food and beverages," the report said. The ATSB commended Robinson Helicopters for providing factory-installed cameras and said it encouraged other manufacturers and owners to consider the ongoing safety benefits of similar devices. In 2000, U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Jim Hall urged the Federal Aviation Administration to require commercial airliners be equipped with cockpit image recorders. Hall's recommendation came in the wake of 1999's Egyptair Flight 990 crash, when the first officer intentionally crashed the Boeing 767, according to the NTSB, killing all 217 people on board. "In the balance between privacy and safety, the scale tips toward safety, unequivocally," air safety expert and former commercial airline pilot John Nance said. "Protecting the flying public is a sacred obligation." Another aviation safety expert, Anthony Brickhouse, said that as an accident investigator, he is in favor of cockpit video, but acknowledged that commercial pilots have real concerns. Video on Air India flight 171 "would have answered lots of questions," he said. Air India declined to comment. India's AAIB, which is expected to release a final report within a year of the crash under international rules, did not reply to request for comment. PILOT OBJECTIONS U.S. pilots' unions such as the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and Allied Pilots Association (APA) say the voice and data recorders already provide enough information to determine the cause of a crash and that the cameras would be an invasion of privacy and could be misused. Calls for cockpit cameras are an understandable reaction to "the stress of not knowing what happened immediately after an accident," said APA spokesperson Dennis Tajer, an American Airlines pilot. "I can understand the initial reaction of the more information, the better," but investigators already have enough data to adequately determine an accident's cause, leaving no need for cameras, he said. To make flying safer, current safety systems should be enhanced to record higher-quality data, rather than adding video cameras, an ALPA spokeperson said. There are also concerns the footage could be used by airlines for disciplinary actions or that video could be leaked to the public after a crash, said John Cox, an aviation safety expert, retired airline pilot and former ALPA executive air safety chairman. A pilot's death being broadcast on "the 6 o'clock news is not something that the pilot's family should ever have to go through," he said. If confidentiality can be assured around the world, "I can see an argument" for installing cameras, Cox said. Cockpit voice recordings are typically kept confidential by investigators in favor of partial or full transcripts being released in final reports. Despite that, International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations said it was skeptical that confidentiality could ever be assured for cockpit videos. "Given the high demand for sensational pictures, IFALPA has absolutely no doubt that the protection of (airborne image recorder) data, which can include identifiable images of flight crewmembers, would not be ensured either," the organization said in a statement. Boeing declined to disclose whether customers are able to order cockpit video recorders, while Airbus did not reply to request for comment. (Reporting by Dan Catchpole in Seattle; Additional reporting by Jun Yuan Yong in Singapore; Editing by Jamie Freed)
The National
11 hours ago
- The National
Satellite images show extent of Israeli strikes on Yemeni ports held by Houthis
Repeated Israeli strikes on Yemeni ports held by Houthi rebels have had little effect on the operations there, satellite images indicate. Fuel shipments at ports controlled by the Iran-backed group have continued despite disruption to pipelines, with the Houthis finding alternative means of getting supplies ashore, analysis shows. Israel launched its most recent attacks overnight on July 6. Air strikes targeted the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Al Salif, the Ras Kanatib power station and the cargo ship Galaxy Leader − which was hijacked by the Houthis in 2023 and Israel claims was being used to monitor international shipping. Israel has hit key Houthi-controlled ports numerous times Since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, the Houthis have regularly attacked shipping in the Red Sea and fired missiles and drones at Israel. The rebels say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians. Here, The National looks at what Israel has targeted and the impact − or lack of impact − of strikes on Houthi infrastructure. Hodeidah – the Houthis' largest port Hodeidah, the Houthis' main gateway to the Red Sea, has been struck multiple times since July 2024. Imagery from July 4, 2025, reveals heavy crater damage, undoubtedly affecting and limiting fuel operations. Impact on As Salif, Ras Isa and Ras Kanatib after Israeli strikes on July 7, 2025 Below is a series of satellite images showing before and after damage to two ports and a power station along the coast of Houthi-controlled Hodeidah on the Red Sea. All three locations have been key to Houthi refuelling and stockpiles. As Salif port: Strikes along the full length of the pier. Despite damage, cargo vessels remain docked. Ras Isa terminal: Strikes targeted fuel terminals and the hijacked Galaxy Leader, which is docked at the port. Ras Kanatib power station: New damage is visible on what appear to be the main generator units. Ships keep docking and fuel keeps flowing Visual time-lapse satellite data from July 2024 to July 2025 shows fuel shipments to Houthi-held ports have not stopped. Ships continue to dock, and alternative offloading methods are being used to bypass damaged infrastructure. 'Big shipments have been affected significantly. But the Houthis adapt − they use alternate docks or just a simple pipe and a tanker to move oil,' said Baraa Shiban, a senior fellow with the London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank. Offshore fuel transfers Some Houthi-affiliated tankers, such as Valente and VLCC Yemen, are seen transferring fuel offshore, a strategy that allows them to bypass ports altogether. Satellite images show ships anchored in the sea, side-by-side near Hodeidah. While the strikes have targeted port infrastructure, most of the Houthis' weaponry and power bases remain inland, untouched. Analysts have questioned the long-term strategic value of Israel's approach. 'Israel's military goals look very ambiguous, It's not clear what they are trying to achieve through these strikes,' said Mr Shiban. 'If the aim is to eliminate the Houthis threat now, of course, they haven't been successful. The Houthis will continue attacking, attacking Israel. 'But if the aim is just to send a message that they can, hit them. As a form of deterrence, then you can say yes, they've, signalled that multiple times. For the Houthis, the main fear is if they lose terrain, if they lose land, and that's not happening at the moment." Symbolic and disruptive Despite sustained bombing campaigns, the Houthis continue to launch missiles and attack vessels in the Red Sea. Two ships have been sunk in Houthi attacks in the past week or so – the Magic Seas on July 6 and the Eternity C on July 9. While all 22 people on the Magic Seas were rescued, four of the 25 crew on the Eternity C are presumed dead, with another 11 unaccounted for. As images show continued fuel movement and maritime adaptability, the Houthis' resilience raises questions about the effectiveness of Israel's air campaign. While symbolic and disruptive, the strikes have not yet significantly altered the rebel group's operational capabilities.
Khaleej Times
13 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
How India is championing climate justice for the Global South
At the COP28 summit in Dubai in December 2023, while global leaders debated the language of a historic deal on transitioning away from fossil fuels, India's delegation made one thing clear: the developing world cannot be asked to pay for a crisis it did not create. Standing before a packed hall of negotiators, India reiterated a demand that resonated across the Global South: equity must be at the heart of climate action. Making it clear that there cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution, India did not mince words in saying that developed nations must take the lead in reducing emissions, while supporting the growth aspirations of the developing world. That moment in Dubai was not just a diplomatic statement; it was a declaration of India's role as the voice of emerging economies in the climate crisis. Today, India is fast becoming the champion of climate justice, pushing for a global approach that balances urgent environmental action with the right to equitable, sustainable development. India's stance on climate is rooted in a simple but profound truth: developing nations need room to grow. With 1.4 billion people, India is home to nearly 18% of the world's population, but it accounts for only 4% of cumulative historic carbon emissions. In contrast, the United States and Europe together are responsible for nearly 47% of the carbon that has heated the planet since the Industrial Revolution. That said, India is among the countries suffering most from climate impacts - extreme heatwaves, erratic monsoons, rising sea levels, and devastating floods. For policymakers in New Delhi, the climate fight is not just about saving the planet, it's about survival and fairness. It has been made clear at several fora that India's climate strategy is not just about reducing emissions but about ensuring climate justice. 'For India, climate justice is no alternative; it is a moral duty,' Modi said at the recent BRICS meeting, adding: 'Where some people measure it in numbers, India lives it in values.' India's credibility as a climate leader comes not just from moral arguments but from measurable action. Under the Paris Agreement (2015), India committed to cutting its emissions intensity by 45% from 2005 levels by 2030, a bold pledge for a developing economy. It also set a target for 50% of its installed electricity capacity to come from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. Remarkably, India is well on track. According to the Economic Survey for 2024–25, as of December 2024, renewable energy accounts for approximately 47% of India's total installed power capacity - well ahead of schedule. One of India's most visionary contributions is the International Solar Alliance (ISA), launched by Prime Minister Modi and France during the Paris Climate Conference. The ISA, now with over 120 member countries, aims to harness solar energy to provide clean power to developing nations, many of which still lack reliable electricity. 'Through solar power, the developing world can leapfrog into a green future,' Modi said during the ISA's launch. India's leadership is shifting the global climate conversation too. For long, climate action has been framed as a trade-off between growth and sustainability. India is proving that it can be a growth engine while still going green even as it insists that the transition must be fair, inclusive, and just. Clearly, India is no longer just a participant in the climate conversation. It is a leader, a negotiator, and a champion of climate justice for the developing world. And for the Global South, that's a source of hope. The author is a writer at Milaybami.
