Hate campaign on social media hindering talks to avoid death sentence of Nimisha Priya 

NEW DELHI: Talks to avoid the death sentence of Malayali nurse Nimisha Priya are continuing in Yemen. Abdelfattah Mahdi, brother of slain Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mahdi, while talking to a media had made it clear that they will not forgive Nimisha Priya. This has further complicated the discussions.

In a Facebook post, he termed as unfortunate postponing the death sentence after deciding the date for execution. He said our family will get justice only if it is implemented. The office of Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, general secretary of the All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama, clarified that the hate campaign on social media is hindering the talks.

Human rights activist Samuel Jerome, who has already been involved in mediation efforts in Yemen, said most Indian media have given importance to blood money and in reality, getting pardon from Talal's family is the most vital thing. The Save Nimisha Priya Action Committee blamed the spread of some news in Yemen insulting Sufi leader Sheikh Habib Omar bin Hafeel, whom Talal's family highly respects, as a setback. Central government sources said efforts are being made to hold talks with Talal's family through various means.

Nimisha Priya killed Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2017. She was a nurse and had started a clinic in Yemen with Mahdi as her partner. He constantly subjected Nimisha Priya to mental harassment and sexual abuse, and threatened her at gunpoint. He cheated her and extorted money. He seized her passport and sexually abused her without allowing her to leave the country.

A Yemeni woman named Hanan, who was Nimisha Priya’s colleague, was also a constant victim of Mahdi's harassment. Nimisha Priya tried to escape after injecting Mahdi with a sedative. She had planned to retrieve her passport once he became unconscious but Mehdi died and she was arrested while trying to leave Yemen.