The family of Yemeni citizen Talal Mahdi have urged authorities to expedite the execution of an Indian nurse convicted of his murder by setting a new date.
Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala state, was granted a reprieve by Yemeni authorities when her execution date scheduled for July 16 at the Central Prison Square in Sanaa was postponed.
Abdel Fattah Mahdi, Talal's brother, has also denied reports in the Indian media that an Indian spiritual leader won the family’s forgiveness to revoke the death penalty.
“The execution has become mandatory by law and binding on all parties without any delay,” said a letter to Yemen’s Public Prosecution signed by Abdel Mahdi on behalf of Mr Mahdi’s close relatives.
The plea called for the public prosecution to “expedite the implementation of the death penalty against the convicted Indian national Nimisha Priya”.
In the letter, the elder Mr Mahdi states that all approvals were obtained as per the final judgments in 2023, including ratification by Yemen’s President and the Attorney General’s order in 2024.
“The crime committed was beyond all bounds of humanity,” the family said in the petition posted by Mr Mahdi on Facebook. “We urgently request your excellency to set a new date for the execution of the death sentence, which we firmly demand as our legitimate right, especially since we, the victim’s family, have lost our loved one to an atrocious crime.”
The family said all efforts at reconciliation had been exhausted. “All attempts to negotiate and mediate have reached a dead end and we, the family of the victim, are unable to reach any compromise with the other party,” the plea said.
Family demands retribution
The family denied a claim publicised in the Indian media made by Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, a prominent Sunni leader also known as the Grand Mufti of India.
The Grand Mufti’s office said that, after “high-level meetings” in Sanaa, the death sentence was officially cancelled.
But the elder Mr Mahdi rejected this as “categorically untrue”. He denied that close family members had met or spoken to the cleric, accepted reconciliation and that the death sentence was cancelled.
“We have not spoken to or negotiated with anyone, near or far, about reconciliation in the case of the Indian murderer. None whatsoever,” he said.
“And we will not allow anyone to impose any discussion or compromise at the expense of our blood and our indisputable right to have qisas (retribution) implemented.”
Asking for justice and retribution for the murder of his younger sibling, Mr Mahdi said: “Religion cannot serve as a pretext for pardon or a cover for the crime’s ugliness.”
He also pointed out that, as per Islamic Sharia and the Yemeni constitution, “honouring the victim’s family, recognising their pain, and upholding their right to see God’s law enforced are obligations”.
“Guaranteeing these rights is among the highest principles of justice,” he added.
Mr Mahdi spoke out against emotional propaganda and against the spiritual leader’s claims of mercy “at the expense of a pure body unjustly slaughtered, dismembered, and thrown into a water tank as if it were nothing”.
“Talal’s blood will not become a bargaining chip in the marketplace of negotiations, nor a bridge for those trading in religion or personal interests,” he said. “And let it be crystal clear: If any decision is to be made, it is ours to make. No one will override our right in the name of religion or mercy.”
Critical phase
Earlier, Yemen’s prosecution authority had said the execution of Ms Priya would be “postponed until a new date is announced”.
This came after a petition from her mother Prema Kumari, who is in Sanaa to support the negotiations, and a request from the Indian government to stay the execution.
The Indian family had offered $1 million in diya or blood money as compensation for Mr Mahdi’s death. The funds were raised by Indians across the world, including expats in the UAE.
Mr Mahdi has urged the public to remember how his family has suffered after the Indian nurse drugged his brother, cut his body into pieces, and hid it in plastic bags inside an underground tank.
Ms Priya’s supporters have asked for forgiveness and pardon, saying she had injected Mr Mahdi with sedatives to retrieve her passport that he had seized and that he had died of an accidental overdose.
“Our work continues to save Nimisha’s life and we must also be sensitive to Talal’s family,” Ms Deepa Joseph, a lawyer in India and vice-chairwoman of the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, told The National.
“What we know of the current situation is that Talal’s family has said they have not spoken to the grand mufti and the family has moved the prosecutors to speed up the process to execute Nimisha.
“We ask that all parties are restrained as this is a critical phase.”
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures and results:
Monday, UAE won by three wickets
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners
Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
Company%20profile
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The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
WHAT FANS WILL LOVE ABOUT RUSSIA
FANS WILL LOVE
Uber is ridiculously cheap and, as Diego Saez discovered, mush safer. A 45-minute taxi from Pulova airport to Saint Petersburg’s Nevsky Prospect can cost as little as 500 roubles (Dh30).
FANS WILL LOATHE
Uber policy in Russia is that they can start the fare as soon as they arrive at the pick-up point — and oftentimes they start it even before arriving, or worse never arrive yet charge you anyway.
FANS WILL LOVE
It’s amazing how active Russians are on social media and your accounts will surge should you post while in the country. Throw in a few Cyrillic hashtags and watch your account numbers rocket.
FANS WILL LOATHE
With cold soups, bland dumplings and dried fish, Russian cuisine is not to everybody’s tastebuds. Fortunately, there are plenty Georgian restaurants to choose from, which are both excellent and economical.
FANS WILL LOVE
The World Cup will take place during St Petersburg's White Nights Festival, which means perpetual daylight in a city that genuinely never sleeps. (Think toddlers walking the streets with their grandmothers at 4am.)
FANS WILL LOATHE
The walk from Krestovsky Ostrov metro station to Saint Petersburg Arena on a rainy day makes you wonder why some of the $1.7 billion was not spent on a weather-protected walkway.
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
Company%20profile
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Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Where%20the%20Crawdads%20Sing
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Andor
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12%20restaurants%20opening%20at%20the%20hotel%20this%20month
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
The%20specs
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Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
CREW
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Fatherland
Kele Okereke
(BMG)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Avatar%20(2009)
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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The biog
Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos
Favourite spice: Cumin
Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter