Latest news with #Qisas
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First Post
19-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
This Week in Explainers: Blood money or Qisas… What's next for Nimisha Priya on death row in Yemen?
Indian nurse Nimisha Priya's life relies on Islamic laws – blood money or Qisas. The woman, who is on death row in Yemen for the murder of her business partner, got a temporary respite this week after her execution was postponed. However, she needs the pardon from the victim's family. All this and more in our weekly roundup read more India is celebrating the return of its second national to go to space. Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is back on Earth after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS), as part of the Axiom-4 mission. Efforts are on to save Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who is on death row in Yemen. While her execution was postponed, her fate still hangs in the balance. Only 'blood money' can protect her from the gallows. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US President Donald Trump's threat to impose 'secondary tariffs' on countries that have commercial ties with Russia spells bad news for India. The move could trigger turmoil for India's critical oil imports and derail its trade agreement with America. Here's all this and more in our weekly wrap from India. 1. Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to go to the ISS, has returned to Earth. He and his three crewmates flew back onboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which made a splashdown in the Pacific off the Southern California coast on July 15. The heartwarming pictures of Shukla's reunion with his family – wife, Dr Kamna Shukla, and their six-year-old son, Kiash – went viral. The Indian astronaut, who shared the moments on Instagram, captioned the post: 'Felt like home'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After adjusting to microgravity in space, Shukla is now readjusting to gravity on Earth. He is spending seven days in a rehabilitation programme. But why? We explain in this report. 2. Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya is hoping for a miracle. While her execution set for July 16 was postponed, it is only a temporary reprieve. The woman, in her late 30s, is lodged in a jail in Yemen for killing a Yemeni citizen and her business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2017. She was sentenced to death for the murder of the Yemeni national. After efforts from various quarters, her execution was deferred this week. Only _diyah_ or blood money – a monetary compensation to Mahdi's family – can save Nimisha. However, the victim's brother insists on Qisas, the Islamic law derived from the 'eye for an eye' principle. We take a look here. 3. US President Donald Trump's tariff threats have created chaos across the world. After pressuring nations to reach trade deals with America by August 1, he has now trained his guns on Russia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has threatened to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Russian trade partners unless Moscow ends its military offensive in Ukraine within 50 days. The threat has rung alarm bells in India and other Asian countries. India currently imports 1.6 to 1.7 million barrels of discounted Russian oil daily, nearly 35 per cent of its total crude demand. Here's our report on how Trump's proposed tariffs could disrupt its oil imports and harm a bilateral trade agreement with the US. 4. The preliminary report on the Air India Flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad in June has put a spotlight on the fuel switches of the Boeing planes. According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) findings, seconds after take-off, both of the 787 Dreamliner's fuel-control switches moved to the 'cutoff' position. As this is only a preliminary report, the cause of the crash remains unknown. However, days after the findings came out, airlines within India and abroad began examining fuel control switch locking mechanisms. We explain the reasons for these checks in this report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 5. The world lost a major sporting icon this week. Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner, died at the age of 114 after being hit by a white Toyota Fortuner near his home in Punjab's Jalandhar. Amritpal Singh Dhillon, a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), has been arrested for allegedly killing Singh with his SUV. Fauja Singh was the world's oldest marathon runner. File Photo/Reuters Dhillon told the police later that he panicked and fled the scene after realising he had hit someone. Fondly called the 'Turbaned Tornado', Fauja Singh's death has spread grief across the sporting world. Here's a look at the life of the man who chose to run marathons well beyond the age of 100. 6. The death of a nine-year-old girl in Rajasthan due to a suspected heart attack has raised the question of whether such incidents are rising. Prachi Kumawat, a Class 4 student in Sikar, was opening her lunchbox when she collapsed. Despite efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead by doctors. While Prachi's family did not carry out an autopsy, she is suspected to have died of a heart attack. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In recent years, multiple cases of children dying due to heart attacks or cardiac arrest have come to light. But do children have heart attacks? And has there been a surge in such cases? We take a look in this report. 7. The tale of a Russian woman who stayed in caves in Karnataka with her two daughters for eight years has gripped the nation. Nina Kutina and her two young daughters lived in a hillside cave near Gokarna, deep inside forests, surviving on instant noodles and without electricity or a phone. She and her kids were discovered by the police during a routine patrol in the Ramatirtha forest area, which recently saw landslides. But why was the Russian woman living in a cave? Read our report to know more. This is all we have for you this week. If you like the way we analyse news, you can bookmark this page.
India.com
17-07-2025
- India.com
What Is Qisas, Diyah? Kerala Nurse On Yemen's Death Row Awaits A Life-Or-Death Verdict Under God's Law
New Delhi: Somewhere in a prison cell at Sanaa in Yemen, a Malayali nurse, Nimisha Priya, waits for an answer that could decide whether she lives or dies. The clock ticks. She is not waiting for a court verdict. That has already been pronounced. She has been convicted of murder and sentenced to death. What she is waiting for now is a decision from a Yemeni family, one that has refused to forgive her. Their demand is chilling in its finality: Qisas – an eye for an eye or blood for blood. And in Yemen, where Islamic law defines the justice system, the family's decision is all that matters. The Story Behind the Sentence Nimisha's life began in Kerala's Palakkad district. A trained nurse, she once dreamed of building a better life for her family. That dream took her to Yemen in 2008, where she initially found work as a nurse in a hospital. But what followed was far from the life she had imagined. She later entered into a business partnership with a Yemeni man, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to run a clinic. Reports and statements from her family and supporters allege that the man, now dead, exploited and abused her. They claim he took her passport, harassed her and restricted her movements. Her family and campaigners say Nimisha tried many times to get her passport back and return to India, but was trapped. The events leading to Talal's death remain contested, but in 2017, she was arrested after his body was found dismembered and hidden in a water tank. Yemeni courts found her guilty of murder. In 2020, she was sentenced to death. Qisas vs. Diyah In Yemen, justice in murder cases is not only about courts and judges. It is personal. Deeply personal. Under Islamic laws, which Yemen follows, two key principles define criminal justice in murder cases: 1. Qisas – retributive justice. If someone kills a person, he/she can be executed unless the family of the victim chooses to forgive. 2. Diyah is compensation, often referred to as 'blood money'. If the family agrees, the killer can be spared in exchange for a financial settlement. The law gives the victim's family the full right to decide whether to seek execution (Qisas) or accept compensation (Diyah). No government, court or diplomat can override that decision. And in this case, the victim's family is crystal clear. They want Qisas. No forgiveness. No blood money. Only death. 'No Money Can Bring Back Our Brother' The family of the victim has made their position known, again and again. His brother, Abdelfattah Mahdi, posted an emotional and unequivocal message on Facebook. 'Our demand is clear – Qisas, and nothing else,' he wrote, adding, 'No amount of money can bring back our brother. Blood cannot be bought.' With that, the door slammed shut, for now, on any hope that Nimisha could be saved through Diyah. Indian humanitarian groups and Nimisha's mother have been trying desperately to convince the family to reconsider. Campaigners have raised money and offered to pay any amount demanded by Mahdi's relatives. They have pleaded on humanitarian grounds, pointing out that Nimisha has a young daughter who would be orphaned by her death. But none of it has changed the family's mind. An Execution Delayed, But Not Cancelled Nimisha's execution was initially scheduled for July 16. But just days before the scheduled hanging, Yemen postponed the sentence. Some reports suggest that Indian diplomatic pressure may have helped secure a delay. Others believe it was on the intervention of a respected cleric, who is engaged in negotiations with all stake holders. Whatever the reason, the execution has not been cancelled – only delayed. The danger still hangs over her like a guillotine. The only thing that can now save Nimisha from death is if Talal Mahdi's family has a change of heart. As per Yemeni law, there is no room for negotiation once a family insists on Qisas. If they maintain that demand, Nimisha will be executed. The Yemeni state will be bound by law to carry it out. India's Legal Lens vs. Yemen's Religious Justice The contrast between India's legal system and Yemen's is stark. In India, the state handles murder prosecutions. The government, not the victim's family, decides whether to pursue the death penalty. Even after a conviction, there are appeals, clemency petitions and presidential pardons. But in Yemen, it is the victim's family who holds the power of life and death. In 2006, Yemen incorporated Qisas and Diyah into its Penal Code under Articles 224-246. Under these laws, the victim's heirs can demand execution, accept compensation or forgive entirely. Judges cannot interfere if the family insists on Qisas. And once the execution is carried out, the case is considered closed. That is why even diplomatic intervention has limited impact. Indian authorities can request clemency, but only the family's consent carries weight under Yemeni law. A Plea for Mercy, A Mother's Hope Nimisha's mother, family and young daughter continue to wait. Human rights activists have not given up either. They hope that with time, and perhaps some gesture of reconciliation, the Mahdi family may agree to talk. The Indian government, through its embassy in Djibouti (India does not have an embassy in Yemen due to ongoing civil war), is in touch with local intermediaries. But time is running out. And Nimisha's life now rests not in the hands of any law, lawyer or judge, but in the heart of a bereaved family. This is not merely about law or justice or geopolitics. It is about a woman who once held a stethoscope and dreamed of a better life, and now stares at a noose. It is about a family torn apart by a brutal murder, and another family watching their daughter slip closer to death every day. It is about a justice system where the law steps back and lets grief make the final call. And right now, that call is Qisas.
Indian Express
17-07-2025
- 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.
NDTV
17-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
NDTV Explains: "Nimisha Priya Must Face 'Qisas'", Says Brother. What Is This Law?
New Delhi: Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya - sentenced to death by Yemen for the murder of Talal Abdo Mehdi - must face ' Qisas ', or 'God's law', and nothing else, his brother has insisted. Ms Priya was to be executed Wednesday but sustained diplomatic pressure brought her a temporary reprieve. A second execution date has not yet been set. This means the 38-year-old remains on death row for now, relying on the efforts of the Indian government and social activists working to convince Mr Mehdi's family to issue a pardon or, at the very least, agree to commute her death sentence. The family, though, is opposed to both. Mr Mehdi's brother told British broadcaster the BBC no pardon will be offered to Ms Priya and that she must face 'justice' as written in the Koran. Abdelfattah Mehdi also hit out at media narratives in India that suggested the family was more interested in the $1 million in 'blood money', or financial compensation, than 'justice'. READ | 'No Pardon, It's A Crime': Brother Of Yemeni Man Killed By Kerala Nurse In a Facebook post this week Mr Mehdi acknowledged mediation and reconciliation attempts on Ms Priya's behalf but stressed, "... our demand is clear: Qisas and nothing else, no matter what." What Is ' Qisas '? ' Qisas ' is a term in Islamic jurisprudence. It is similar to the biblical concept of 'an eye for an eye', i.e., victims of a crime are entitled to 'reciprocal justice'. The Arabic word ' qisas ' translates as 'retaliation' or 'retribution'. It finds repeated mention in the Koran, including in Chapter 2, Verse 178, which reads: "O you who have faith! Retribution is prescribed for you regarding the slain: freeman for freeman, slave for slave, and female for female. But if one is granted any extenuation by his brother, let the follow up (for the 'blood money', or 'diyah') be honourable, and let the payment to him be with kindness. That is a remission from your Lord and a mercy" But what is significant is that ' qisas ' refers to 'retribution' for intentionally committed crimes, suggesting the family believes Nimisha Priya deliberately murdered Talal Mehdi. Therefore, under Islamic law the family is entitled to seek proportionate recompense. There are two kinds of ' qisas ' depending on the crime itself. The first is 'for life', i.e., a life for a life, which is what Mr Mehdi's family has demanded. The second is 'for body parts', i.e., the victim can inflict an injury similar to that inflicted on them. The latter concept is barbaric by today's moral standards and values, but the former remains an integral part of jurisprudence worldwide. Indeed, the death sentence is valued and defended by many countries, including the United States and India, only neither offers a religious overtone. It is important to note that ' qisas ' is not the norm, either in Yemen or any other nation governed by Sharia law. Contemporary judiciary sensibilities and oversight can, and do, affect its use. NDTV Explains | Why Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya Is To Be Executed In Yemen But Yemen does have one of the highest per capita execution rates in the world, although that figure is likely inflated due to increased use by Houthi rebels who control parts of the country. This is not to suggest there is no hope for Ms Priya. Indeed, that her execution was postponed (and without seeking permission from Mr Mehdi's family, according to his brother's Facebook post) indicates the Yemen government is listening. Sources have told NDTV India's embassy in Riyadh in neighbouring Saudi Arabia is leading this effort, with help from a private individual, Samuel Jerome, an Indian citizen living in Sanaa. Mr Jerome spoke to NDTV Wednesday. He said the family had been angered by the media's focus on 'blood money', but indicated he would try to repair broken ties with the brother. Nimisha Priya Case Ms Priya travelled from Kerala's Palakkad to Yemen in 2011, hunting for a well-paying job to support her parents. After a few years in a hospital there, she set up her own medical clinic. Yemen laws require foreign nationals to partner with citizens to set up a business. Mr Mehdi was that business partner for her venture. There are also reports she later married him. READ | 'Pardon By Yemeni Man's Family Only Real Hope For Nimisha': Activist Either way, the relationship deteriorated rapidly after she accused him of harassment and stealing from her. Mr Mehdi, she claimed, then hid her passport so she couldn't leave. In 2017 Ms Priya tried to drug Mr Mehdi so she could recover the passport. Unfortunately he died under medication and the nurse - who tried to hide his body by cutting it up and dumping it in a water tank - was caught trying to flee the country. She was convicted of murder in March 2018 and sentenced to death two years later. What Is The Government Doing? The Indian government continues to do all it can to save Nimisha Priya. It is, however, running out of options. Attorney General R Venkataramani told the Supreme Court Monday "there is a point till which we can go... we have reached it". The court, hearing a plea by the 'Save Nimisha Priya International Council', was told the "only way" forward is if Mr Mehdi's family accept financial compensation.
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First Post
17-07-2025
- First Post
Now, Nimisha Priya case rests on Qisas: What is this Islamic law?
Indian nurse Nimisha Priya's execution in Yemen has been stayed for now. However, her future remains uncertain as the victim's family rejects offers of blood money and insists on Qisas, the Islamic law that is derived from the 'eye for an eye' principle. So what can we expect next? read more She has escaped the noose for now, but Indian nurse Nimisha Priya's fate still remains in the balance. The Kerala-born nurse, who is facing the death sentence in Yemen, has only one option left in her quest for freedom — clemency from the victim's family. However, it seems quite unlikely that she will be granted forgiveness from the family. The victim's brother, Abdelfattah Mahdi, told the BBC on Monday, before the execution was postponed, 'Our stance on the attempts at reconciliation is clear; we insist on implementing God's Law in Qisas [retaliation in kind], nothing else.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He further stated, 'Any dispute, whatever its reasons and however big, can never justify a murder —let alone dismembering, mutilating and hiding the body.' But what does this mean? More importantly, what does this mean for Nimisha's future? We examine and get you the answers. Nimisha Priya's victim's brother rules out mercy Following the stay on Nimisha's execution, scheduled for July 16, the family of the victim, Talal Abdo Mahdi, has spoken out, indicating that they won't grant her request of forgiveness. Following up on their previous stance, the brother, Abdelfattah, wrote in a lengthy Facebook post that the family has rejected all efforts at reconciliation, including offers of diyyah or blood money. 'Now it's been (execution) postponed and we were not expecting that — unfortunately — especially that those who have stopped the implementation know our absolute refusal to any attempt to reconcile in any form… 'In any case, what is after setting the execution date is more difficult than before. We shall follow execution till execution. 'Delay won't flex, pressure won't move us, blood can't buy… And the truth is not forgotten… Retribution will come no matter how long the road takes, it's a matter of time, and from God help.' For those who need a quick recap, Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala's Palakkad, had gone to Yemen in 2011 in search of a better life. Over there, she joined hands with a Yemeni local, Talal Abdo Mahdi, and opened a clinic. In 2017, fed up with the alleged abuse she was suffering at his hands, she sedated him in an attempt to retrieve her passport. However, her plan went totally awry and he died of an overdose. She subsequently dismembered his body and dumped it in a water tank. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For this, she was found guilty and sentenced to death, which was later upheld by the Yemeni Supreme Court. Later, the president of Yemen also approved her sentencing, setting her up for execution. A day before her scheduled execution, the 38-year-old nurse, however, received a reprieve as a result of hectic negotiations and even the intervention of India's 'Grand Mufti' from Kerala. Understanding Qisas in Islamic Law But what does it mean when the victim's family insists on implementing God's Law in Qisas? What exactly are Qisas? The principle of Qisa is derived from the primary source of Islamic law: the Quran. The Quran uses the term 'qisas' in the sense of 'equality'. Islamic scholars explain that Qisas refers to the concept of retaliation. It permits a victim's family the right to choose retributive justice, most commonly the death penalty in murder cases. For instance, it allows for a family to choose the punishment for that person who has wronged them. Quite simply put, it's the 'eye for an eye' concept. The Quran allows for Qisas in cases of intentional murder: 'O you who believe, qisas has been prescribed for you in cases of murder… But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The reasoning for it is human equality. In the past, the blood of some influential tribes and individuals were considered more valuable than that of the poor. Moreover, the blood of women and slaves was also considered less valuable. However, the Quran prohibited this practice and hence made the blood of everyone equally precious: life for life, but allowed an exception — forgiveness for merciful objectives. The Quran warns of painful punishment for those who transgress these rules. Qisas are recognised and enforced in multiple countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan (under Taliban rule), and parts of Nigeria where Sharia law is practised. If not retribution, then forgiveness Islamic scholars note that forgiveness is also a crucial aspect of Qisas. While Qisas allows for retribution, Islamic teachings strongly encourage forgiveness and reconciliation. In the context of Qisas, forgiveness can be exercised by accepting compensation — known as diyyah, or blood money. If accepted, this payment can lead to a pardon and nullify the death sentence, emphasising reconciliation over retribution. In Nimisha Priya's case, Nimisha's family and friends have offered $1 million (Rs 8.6 crore) as blood money to the Mahdis. However, they have shown no inclination to accept it. And going by the current situation, it seems clear that the Mahdis seek retribution and not reconciliation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
