The execution of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, convicted of murdering a Yemeni national, has been postponed from its original date of July 16. But her fate hangs on ‘Qisas’, or ‘God’s law’, and nothing else.
The execution of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, convicted for the murder of a Yemeni national, has been temporarily postponed. Originally scheduled for July 16, last-minute efforts to secure her pardon through humanitarian and diplomatic channels helped delay her execution, but her future remains far from certain.
The Kerala-born nurse, who is facing the death sentence in Yemen, has only one option left—clemency from the victim’s family. But that too seems unlikely.
In an interview with BBC, the victim’s brother, Abdelfattah Mahdi, said, “Our stance on the attempts at reconciliation is clear; we insist on implementing God’s Law in Qisas [retaliation in kind], nothing else.”
He further stated, “Any dispute, whatever its reasons and however big, can never justify a murder —let alone dismembering, mutilating and hiding the body.” Reiterating the family’s position, he made it clear they would not accept any offer of blood money or settlement, stating that the demand for execution stands unchanged.
What is Qisas in Islamic Law?
Qisas (Arabic) is an Islamic term meaning retaliation, similar to the biblical principle of an eye for an eye. It is recognised and enforced in multiple countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan (under Taliban rule), and parts of Nigeria where Sharia law is practised.
In the context of Qisas, forgiveness can be exercised by accepting compensation—known as diyyah, or blood money. If accepted, this payment can lead to a pardon and nullify the death sentence, emphasising reconciliation over retribution.