Nimisha Priya's family offers $1 million 'blood money'
Ahead of her July 16 execution, the Indian nurse's family has offered 'blood money' under Sharia law, but the victim's family is yet to respond
The family of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse on death row in Yemen for murdering her business partner, has reportedly offered $1 million as ‘blood money’ to the victim’s family.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times on Saturday (July 12), under Yemen’s Sharia law, paying ‘blood money’ to the victim’s family, Nimisha can obtain their pardon and hence be spared from execution.
Execution on July 16
Nimisha is set to be executed on July 16 for allegedly murdering her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2018. Earlier this year, the President of Yemen upheld her execution.
According to media reports, Babu John, an activist with the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, had said on Friday that Sameul Jerome, who holds the power of attorney for Nimisha’s family, was already in Yemen’s Sana and is leading the negotiation from her side.
Also Read: SC to hear plea to save Indian nurse Nimisha Priya from execution in Yemen
Victim’s family yet to respond
Pointing out that the negotiations may take months to complete, John said that they have offered $ 1 million of blood money to save Nimisha from execution, adding that the deceased's family was yet to take a call in the matter.
He also said that apart from the blood money, under the Sharia law prevalent in Yemen, the negotiators have urged the family of the deceased to pardon Nimisha for whatever she had done or whatever she had been accused of.
Also Read: Nimisha Priya, Indian nurse on death row to be executed on July 16 in Yemen
What is blood money
“If the family is ready to pardon with or without money... anyway, we are ready to pay $1 million. That is the offer,” said John as quoted by NDTV.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, under the Sharia law, if a murder is intentional, then the accused will be awarded the death penalty. But if the murder is unintentional, then the accused can obtain a person from the victim’s family by paying a ransom amount or blood money to them, subject to their consent.