An Indian nurse condemned to death in Sanaa, Yemen's Houthi-held capital, is to be executed within a month, campaigners seeking to save her life have said.
Nimisha Priya, 33, a nurse from Palakkad district in Kerala state, was tried in Sanaa and convicted in 2020 of murdering and dismembering her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdu Mahadi three years earlier.
Her family was hoping to raise 40 million rupees ($519,000) to pay Mr Abdu Mahadi's family as blood money in exchange for her life, after the highest court in Sanaa rejected a plea to commute her sentence in November 2023, said Deepa Joseph, a lawyer in Delhi and vice president of Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council.
Ms Joseph told The National that Priya’s lawyer in Yemen was told about the execution warrant on Monday. “The order came last evening, and our lawyer got the information that the execution will happen within one month. We are trying to knock on the door that can open to save her,” Ms Joseph said.
Randhir Jaiswal, an Indian Foreign Ministry representative, said New Delhi was assisting Priya's family in their effort to save her life.
“We understand that the family of Priya is exploring relevant options. The government is extending all possible help in the matter,” Mr Jaiswal said in a statement on X.
The Indian government reportedly appointed a lawyer for Priya to file a revision plea before the Yemeni court in 2023. Her mother, Prema Kumari, has visited Sanaa twice to negotiate the blood money with the victim's family, Ms Joseph said.
Priya met Mr Abdu Mahadi in 2011 and set up a clinic in Sanaa three years later after forging documents to show that they were married, because Yemeni law bars foreigners from setting up clinics and medical companies, Ms Joseph said.
Priya and her husband, Tomi Thomas, had taken a loan of four million rupees to start the clinic but soon ran into a dispute with Mr Abdu Mahadi after accusing him of embezzling money, Ms Joseph said.
Her husband returned to India with their daughter, now seven, in late 2014. Priya was unable to follow them because of the civil war that broke out after the Houthi rebels seized Sanaa in September that year.
The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council said Mr Abdu Mahadi responded to the allegations of embezzlement with threatening behaviour. He allegedly held Priya at gunpoint several times and also stole her jewellery.
He was arrested briefly after she complained to police, but continued to harass her and took her passport to prevent her from leaving Yemen, the group said.
Ms Joseph said Priya admitted to injecting Mr Abdu Mahadi with sedatives with the help of a Yemeni nurse, Hanan, but an overdose killed him. She had planned to get Mr Abdu Mahadi's thumb impression on a document to end the business deal, recover her passport and win her freedom.
Unable to find a place to hide the body, the nurses cut it into pieces that they put in plastic bags and dumped in a water tank at the clinic before fleeing Sanaa.
Police found the body parts after complaints of a smell from the water tank, leading to their arrest. Hanan was sentenced to life in jail for her role in Mr Abdu Mahadi's death.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
RESULTS
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $49,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner RB Frynchh Dude, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.05pm Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $50,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner El Patriota, Vagner Leal, Antonio Cintra
7.40pm Zabeel Turf – Listed (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,000m
Winner Ya Hayati, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby
8.15pm Cape Verdi – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Althiqa, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm UAE 1000 Guineas – Listed (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Soft Whisper, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
9.25pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Bedouin’s Story, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
The%20specs
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
