Young Woman with Rett Syndrome Arrives by Ambulance for Court Hearing on Caregiver's Status
A 25-year-old woman with Rett syndrome, Liri Louise Karant, arrived by special ambulance to a Jerusalem District Court hearing on Monday to fight for her caregiver's right to remain in Israel. Karant, who has been cared for by Kumari Budhathoki Adhikari since she was seven years old in 2008, faces a potential disruption to her complex, round-the-clock medical and nursing care if her caregiver is deported.
The family is appealing a decision by the Population and Immigration Authority to deny Kumari's work visa renewal, citing the pending review of a humanitarian request to regularize her status. This humanitarian application has been under review for four years, during which time Kumari's work visa was repeatedly renewed. However, in 2024, the family was informed verbally that the visa would not be renewed due to the ongoing humanitarian process, without a written decision, hearing, or prior notice.
Liri's family argues that the denial of the visa renewal and the demand for Kumari to leave within 14 days pose a significant risk to Liri's continuous care. They contend that the humanitarian request was not properly evaluated by the Inter-Ministerial Committee, as required by Supreme Court precedent, and that the authority's delay in processing the request led to the visa issue. The family also claims that they were pressured to abandon the humanitarian process as a condition for continued care.
Liri's mother, Orly Zigdon, described Kumari as a "second mother" to her daughter, emphasizing the deep, familial bond developed over 18 years. Liri's physician, Dr. Amir Harel Hari, stated that deportation would cause "irreparable damage" to Liri. In a previous hearing in July 2025, Liri also arrived by ambulance to allow the court to assess her condition firsthand.
Following the hearing, it was agreed that Liri's legal representatives would resubmit a request for an extension of Kumari's nursing visa, and the authority would review it without prejudice to the humanitarian status application.
