Latest news with #BBCArabic
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Nimisha Priya case: No pardon, no blood money, says Yemeni murder victim's brother after Kerala nurse's execution postponed
After the Yemeni government postponed Indian nurse Nimisha Priya's execution on charges of murder, her fate rests with the family of the victim, Talal Abdo Mahdi. However, the Mahdi family has said that 'justice will prevail even if it is delayed'. Priya's execution had been scheduled for July 16, but was postponed by the government in Yemen amid intensified efforts from back home to save her. After the postponement, Talal's brother Abdul Fatah Mehdi told BBC Arabic that the family demands Qisas — an Islamic legal term that refers to the principle of retaliation in kind or retributive justice — and that Priya should be executed. He said the family would neither forgive nor accept 'blood money' in exchange for sparing Priya's life. A functionary of the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council said, 'Now, the matter is before the family of the victim. It is a big task to make them forgive the heinous crime. We have to respect the Talal family and understand their sentiments. People should desist from going to the media with unnecessary comments to usurp credit for the postponement of execution, upsetting the entire negotiation process.' Social worker Samuel Jerome Baskaran, who has been part of the negotiations for the last five years, said the postponement of the execution was a big favour for India from the government in Yemen. 'They (the Yemen government) have been absolutely compassionate. Media reports in Kerala will not save Priya. We have to understand the agony of the family of Talal. Negotiations involving the Indian and Yemeni governments have to be continued to win their confidence and make them forgive the crime. It is a delicate exercise, more so considering the nature of the murder committed by Priya,' he said. Meanwhile, in Kerala, RJD national council member Saleem Madavoor on Thursday complained to the state police chief, saying some people were making hate comments on the Facebook page of the victim's brother and that this would have an adverse affect on the efforts to release Priya.
Campaign ME
3 days ago
- Politics
- Campaign ME
BBC News Arabic bucks trend with 13 per cent audience rise to 39.5 million per week
The audience for BBC News Arabic has risen by 13 per cent over the past year, according to data from the BBC's Global Audience Measurement 2024-2025 published this week. BBC News Arabic is now the BBC World Service's largest language service, which aims to provide journalism to a global audience of 39.5 million people a week in the Arabic-speaking world across TV, radio and digital. In a year of international conflicts, crises and elections, audiences have chosen to turn to BBC News Arabic. The BBC's largest language service has seen growth across its broadcast offering, BBC News Arabic TV, digital programming and emergency lifeline radio services. Bucking the wider industry trend of declining audience interest in broadcast news, BBC News Arabic TV has seen its weekly viewership rise by 3 million people compared with 2023-2024. Tarik Kafala, BBC News Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said, 'This has been an extraordinary year for news, and our growth in audience this year is a testament to the dedication of the BBC News Arabic team, and the strength of our offering to audiences. In a world of decreasing media freedom and increasing polarisation, the tenacious work of BBC News Arabic journalists, reporting without fear or favour, is more essential than ever.' In line with its commitment to providing vital services to audiences in crisis, this year BBC Arabic launched an emergency lifeline service in Syria, keeping listeners up to date with vital information following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. This service follows the successful launch of the Arabic lifeline service in Gaza in 2023, which broadcasts crucial news bulletins twice a day. An audience of 1.2 million listeners are now tuning in weekly to the BBC Arabic Gaza and Syrian lifeline services across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Kafala added, 'Audiences have chosen BBC Arabic for news which is independent, impartial and accurate. We can see the tangible impacts of our journalism on our Arabic-speaking audience, and through the wider World Service, and the many other audiences BBC News serves. We remain committed to helping our audiences understand what is happening in the world through our in-depth reporting, and serving those most in need with our emergency lifeline services in Syria and Gaza.' In line with its commitment to providing vital services to audiences in crisis, BBC Arabic has also provided a vital service to younger audiences through the launch of Dars Arabic. An Arabic-language edition of the BBC World Service educational programme, Dars – which was described by the United Nations as a 'learning lifeline' for children in Afghanistan. At least 30 million children are out of school in the Middle East and North Africa, many have been displaced by conflict and crises in Sudan, Yemen and Gaza, which have severely affected access to education. Broadcasting across BBC Arabic TV and across BBC Arabic's digital channels, Dars Arabic aims to connect these children facing immense barriers to an education with learning – utilising the content and expertise of BBC Education to offer children aged 11-16 lessons in Maths, English, Science and Geography at varying skillsets.
India.com
3 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Will Nimisha Priya Be Forgiven? Brother Of The Yemeni Man She Was Accused Of Killing Speaks Out
Sanaa/New Delhi: In the capital of Yemen, a woman waits in a prison cell. Her name is Nimisha Priya. She is a nurse from Kerala in India. For years now, she has carried the weight of a death sentence. But on Monday, a flicker of hope arrived. Her execution, originally scheduled for June 16, has been halted, at least for now. She remains behind bars in Sanaa, a city under the control of the Houthi administration. She has been convicted for allegedly murdering her business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi. The victim's family has broken silence. His brother, Abdel Fateh Mahdi, is speaking publicly for the first time in details about what they believe truly happened between Nimisha and Talal. In an interview with BBC Arabic, he denied every accusation made against his late brother. No abuse. No passport confiscation. No torture. He says these stories are 'false'. Stories that, he believes, were crafted to portray Nimisha as a victim. During a hearing in the Supreme Court of India, Nimisha's legal team painted a different picture. They claimed she had been exploited. They said Talal took all her money. That he beat her. That he held her passport so she could not leave. That he stripped her of dignity and control. But Abdel dismissed it all as 'fabrication'. 'They knew each other. They were business partners. They started a clinic together. Later, they got married. They lived like any other couple for three or four years,' Abdel said. He did not deny that a tragedy occurred. But he rejected the idea that the person convicted for it should be seen as anything but responsible. 'The truth is being twisted. The one who committed the act is being portrayed as the one who suffered,' he said. As for forgiveness? Abdel had no hesitation. He asked for divine justice. 'God's law (blood for blood) must be upheld. Nothing less, nothing more,' he said. Back in India, there is movement behind the scenes. Nimisha's case has drawn attention from powerful figures. According to Indian officials, diplomatic lines have stayed open. There have been repeated talks with Yemen's prosecutors and prison authorities. The execution is on hold, but the sword still hangs. In Kerala, a respected Islamic scholar has stepped in. Grand Mufti A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar is trying to help. He reached out to elders in Yemen. He contacted tribal leaders and clerics. A series of meetings is being held. Members of Talal's family are attending. So are influential people from the community. The goal is to reach an understanding. Maybe, even reconciliation. But the path ahead is uncertain. Nimisha remains in prison. Talal is gone. Two families. Two countries. Two truths. And between them, the long shadow of justice.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
BBC executive tells staff: ‘Hamas government different to its military'
The BBC's head of news has told staff that the Hamas government and its military wing are 'different'. Deborah Turness made the comments in a meeting intended to reassure staff after the 'catastrophic failure' of broadcasting the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone. The BBC broke editorial guidelines by not disclosing that Abdullah, a boy at the centre of the now-pulled documentary, was the son of Ayman Alyazouri, the Hamas-run government's deputy minister of agriculture. Ms Turness addressed the coverage of the scandal, suggesting that there was a difference between Gaza's Hamas-run government and its Hamas-run military. The UK Government makes no such distinction, and the group is 'proscribed in its entirety'. In a video shared with The Telegraph, Ms Turness tells staff: 'I think it's really important that we are clear that Abdullah's father was a deputy agriculture minister, and therefore was a member of the Hamas-run government, which is different to being part of the military wing of Hamas. 'Externally it's often simplified that he was in Hamas, and I think it's an important point of detail that we need to continually remind people of the difference.' Sources have suggested that a request for response on this issue was made by a member of the BBC Arabic service. Ms Turness made no suggestion that the BBC documentary should not have been pulled. The suggestion that there is a difference between the military and civil wings of Hamas is unlikely to quell the fierce criticism received by the BBC since it emerged that the star of the documentary had family links to the terrorist group. The documentary, made by independent procure Hoyo Films, featured 13-year-old Abdullah Alyazouri as a narrator. The day after it was broadcast, it emerged that Abdullah was the son of Ayman Alyazouri. An internal review conducted by Peter Johnston, the BBC's director of editorial complaints, ruled that the documentary breached editorial guidelines on accuracy by failing to disclose 'critical information' about Abdullah's family history. Jewish groups have called for Tim Davie, the director-general, to resign over the scandal, which Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, has listed among the BBC's recent 'catastrophic failures'. Other failures listed included the live broadcast of a set by the band Bob Vylan at Glastonbury, during which Pascal Robinson-Foster, the lead singer, led chants of 'death to the IDF'. The BBC has apologised profusely for both incidents, but the suggestion by the BBC's head of news that there are divisions to be drawn within Gaza's Hamas regime may raise further questions from critics of the broadcaster's handling of the conflict in the Middle East. Lord Austin said: 'It's absolutely clear that after all the complaints and controversy and even after their own investigation BBC bosses still just don't get it. 'The UK has proscribed Hamas in its entirety and it therefore absolutely unacceptable to pretend there is any meaningful distinction between members of Hamas. Deborah Turness presided over this mess and still tries to defend the BBC's colossal mistakes. Surely her position is untenable.' The UK government itself has refused to draw a line between the civic and military wings of Hamas, stating online: 'The government now assesses that the approach of distinguishing between the various parts of Hamas is artificial. Hamas is a complex but single terrorist organisation.' Danny Cohen, the former head of BBC Television has branded Ms Turness's comments 'staggering'. He said: 'The head of BBC News does not appear to understand that all elements of Hamas comprise a single terrorist organisation, as the UK government have made very clear. 'A terrorist organisation dedicated to the genocidal destruction of Jewish people. I'm shocked that Ms Turness wishes to make this distinction and actively encouraged BBC journalists to do the same. 'It is both ignorant and dangerous and is further evidence of why so many British Jews do not feel they can trust the BBC.' The BBC has said that staff did not know about the Hamas connections of the contributors in the controversial Gaza documentary. The broadcaster has been contacted for comment.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Who is Nimisha Priya? Kerala nurse faces death in Yemen as victim's family refuses pardon under islamic law Qisas
Abdelfattah Mehdi, brother of the deceased Talal Abdo Mehdi, has declared that the family will not accept any form of compensation or pardon for Nimisha Priya, the 36-year-old Kerala-born nurse convicted of Talal's murder in 2017. Speaking to BBC Arabic on July 14, Abdelfattah reiterated that only Qisas, or retributive justice under Islamic law, would be acceptable to the family. Rejecting Indian media reports that suggested Talal had abused Priya or withheld her passport, Abdelfattah accused outlets of 'portraying a convicted murderer as a victim.' He said, 'We suffered not only due to the brutal crime but also from the prolonged and painful litigation process.' He confirmed that Talal's relationship with Nimisha began professionally, turned into a business partnership, and eventually led to a short-lived marriage that lasted four years. Despite all these, he maintained, 'No dispute can justify the killing, mutilation, and concealment of the body.' The execution of Nimisha Priya, which was scheduled to take place tomorrow (16/07/25), has been postponed to another is the verdict given by the Public Prosecution of Specialized Criminal Court, Republic of Yemen, today. Who is Nimisha Priya and why is there delay in execution? Nimisha Priya moved to Yemen in 2008 seeking better job prospects. Over the years, her professional relationship with local businessman Talal Abdo Mehdi soured. In 2017, according to Yemeni authorities, she tried to recover her passport by sedating Talal, resulting in a fatal overdose. She, along with another nurse, allegedly dismembered his body and disposed of it in a water tank. She was sentenced to death in 2020. Her appeals in Yemeni courts were rejected. Although her execution was initially set for July 16, it has been postponed. Sources suggest that this delay follows diplomatic and humanitarian interventions by Indian authorities to secure more time for negotiations. Talks between Nimisha's family, Indian religious leaders, and Yemeni clerics are ongoing. The Grand Mufti of India, AP Abubakar Musliyar, is reportedly involved in outreach efforts aimed at reconciliation. Meetings involving tribal elders, religious figures, and the victim's family are continuing, but no breakthrough has been reached. What is Qisas and why it matters in this case Qisas, rooted in Islamic Sharia law, allows a murder victim's family to demand retributive justice, typically capital punishment. It follows the 'eye for an eye' principle and is legally recognised in countries like Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and others with Sharia-based criminal systems. In these jurisdictions, the victim's family may also opt for clemency by accepting diyah, or blood money, which can lead to a pardon. However, in this case, Talal's family has publicly refused all compensation offers. Abdelfattah Mehdi made the family's position clear in a Facebook post: 'Our demand is clear: Qisas, and nothing else, no matter what.' Following the postponement of the execution, he wrote, 'Unfortunately, we did not expect this... No postponement will stop us. No pressure will shake us. Blood cannot be bought. Justice cannot be forgotten. Qisas will be done, no matter how long it takes. With God's help.' As things stand, Nimisha Priya's fate rests entirely in the hands of Talal's family, who continue to reject reconciliation or blood money. While diplomatic efforts are underway, the legal framework of Qisas limits options. Her case remains one of the most high-profile examples of how Islamic criminal justice intersects with international diplomacy and humanitarian intervention.
