Mother of Nimisha Priya, nurse from Kerala on death row in Yemen, gets visa to try save daughter's life

Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse was sentenced to death in Yemen for allegedly murdering Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2017. Her mother Premakumari was granted permission by the Delhi HC to go to Yemen earlier. 

Kochi: Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya's mother Premakumari will go to Yemen next week to meet the former who has been sentenced to death on charges of allegedly killing a Yemeni national.  After completing the visa process, Premakumari will leave for Yemen next Friday. The Indian Embassy is trying to meet the family of the killed Yemeni citizen to get the sentence reduced. Nimisha Priya can be saved from the death penalty only if the family of the Yemeni national allows it.

Premakumari said that their fingers are crossed and is eagerly waiting to meet her daughter after several years. The Delhi High Court had granted permission to Premakumari to visit Yemen, following which the visa was given to her on Thursday (Feb 29). Premakumari has been working in a house in Tamarachal, Ernakulam for more than seven years.

Premakumari will set off on her journey from Mumbai to Aden on the border of Yemen. From there via road, she will reach Sana'a. The representatives of the Save Nimisha Priya Action Council, which is working on Nimisha Priya's release, discussed with the Yemeni ambassador the other day. 

Nimisha Priya, a Malayali nurse, was sentenced to death in Yemen over murder charges in 2017. She was convicted of murdering Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi. Yemen's Supreme Court earlier rejected Nimisha Priya's appeal plea against the death sentence. 

According to Islamic law, if the victim's family pardons the criminal, the death penalty may be suspended; this may entail paying "blood money" (compensation to the victim's family). Nimisha Priya's release will be possible only if Talal's family forgives the death sentence after the Sana'a High Court upholds it.