Former SC Judge Justice Kurian Joseph to lead negotiations for release of Nimisha Priya

Former SC Judge Justice Kurian Joseph to lead negotiations for release of Nimisha Priya
(Left) Nimisha Priya and (rightI Former SC Judge Justice Kurian Joseph.

New Delhi: Former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph will lead the negotiations with the family of a Yemeni national for the release of Nimisha Priya, a Keralite nurse who is on death row in Yemen, Manorama News reported on Friday.

Nimisha Priya was a nurse in Yemen when she was convicted in 2020 for the murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi.

Mahdi died in July 2017 allegedly of overdose after she injected him with sedatives to get her passport that was in his possession.

According to Priya, Mahdi had also forged documents to show that she was married to him. She also said that Mahdi abused and tortured her.

Though she had appealed against the death penalty, it was rejected. Priya is unlikely to move the Supreme Court of Yemen as she is convinced that she won't be spared.

Her only hope to escape the death sentence is if the victim's family accepts blood money in accordance with Yemeni laws.

The 'Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council' has been trying to get a pardon for her from capital punishment by paying blood money.

Earlier, the Centre had refused to involve directly in the negotiations and the payment of blood money citing that no embassy can be part of negotiations to pay blood money.

The Delhi High Court had also rejected a plea by the action council to direct the central government to negotiate her release.

However, the Centre has said that the authorities will take all proactive steps to institute an appeal before the next appellate forum and that the embassy shall extend all cooperation and facilitate the travel of the petitioners to Yemen.

Blood money refers to the compensation paid by an offender or his kin to the family of the victim.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.