What is blood money, that could save Indian nurse on death row in Yemen?
Nimisha Priya, an Indian-origin nurse, faces execution in Yemen after being accused of murder. Her family seeks blood money negotiations to save her life.
Nimisha Priya, an Indian-origin nurse, has been sentenced to death in Yemen for allegedly killing a Yemeni national. The death sentence, awarded to her in 2018 for allegedly killing her business partner, recently got the nod from the President of Yemen Rashad al-Amini. Her execution could be carried out within a month. The Indian Government said that it is “extending all possible help in the matter” two days back.
While things for Nimisha Priya seem grim at this point, there is still an option that could get her off the death sentence – blood money, also called ‘diyya’ in Islamic Sharia law.
In Sharia law, which Yemen follows, 'Diyya' is the concept of a financial compensation provided to the family of the victim by the accused in case of serious crimes such as murder. This is done to avoid harsh punishments like death sentences and to provide monetary compensation to the victim’s family in exchange for mercy and forgiveness for the accused.
This system leaves the offender’s fate in the hands of the family of the victim. While there is no fixed amount to be paid by the offender in exchange for mercy, the victim’s family can negotiate the amount.
On diyya, the Quran, Islam’s central religious text, says, “O believers! The law of retaliation is set for you in cases of murder—a free man for a free man, a slave for a slave, and a female for a female. But if the offender is pardoned by the victim’s guardian, then blood-money should be decided fairly and payment should be made courteously. This is a concession and a mercy from your Lord. But whoever transgresses after that will suffer a painful punishment” (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 178).
Nimisha Priya's family seeks government's help
In Nimisha Priya’s case, her family has said that they are ready to pay diyya in order to save her. They are trying to negotiate with the family of the victim, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to save her from death sentence.
The family has asked the Indian government for help to initiate negotiations with Mahdi’s family. “It is still possible to hold talks with Mahdi’s family, convince them to pardon Priya possibly in exchange for blood money and secure her release. The Indian government can help locate the tribal leaders and the victim’s family and bring them to the table for talks,” said Subhash Chandran, a Supreme Court lawyer who appeared for Priya’s mother Prema Kumari in the Delhi high court.
"The ‘Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council’ will take care of the financial aspects of arranging the blood money,” he added.
The council was formed in 2020 to help raise funds to secure Nimisha Priya’s release.
