The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea seeking the Indian government's intervention to save Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse facing a death sentence in Yemen. The hearing is scheduled for July 14.
Nimisha Priya, a 38-year-old nurse from Kerala, was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2017. In 2020, a Yemeni court sentenced her to death, and her appeals were subsequently rejected. She is currently imprisoned in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen.
The plea before the Supreme Court seeks a directive to the Indian government to use diplomatic channels to negotiate with Yemeni authorities and explore the possibility of paying "blood money" to the victim's family. Under Sharia law, which is followed in Yemen, the family of the deceased can pardon the convicted person if they receive blood money. Advocate Subhash Chandran KR, representing the petitioner, emphasized the urgency of the situation and the need to explore diplomatic channels as soon as possible.
The plea has been filed by the organization "Save Nimisha Priya – International Action Council," which is providing legal support to Nimisha Priya. The plea cites media reports indicating that the Yemeni administration has tentatively scheduled Nimisha Priya's execution for July 16. The Supreme Court bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi has requested the Attorney General to assist the court in this matter and asked the petitioner to submit a copy of the plea to him. The court has also asked the central government to apprise it of the steps taken in the case.
The plea argues that Nimisha Priya did not receive a proper legal defense during her trial due to the ongoing civil war in Yemen. It also states that she was forced to sign confessional documents in Arabic, a language she did not understand, which led to her conviction. According to the plea, Nimisha Priya entered into a business partnership with Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2015 to establish a clinic in Sana'a. Because Yemeni law requires businesses to be owned by nationals, she sought Mahdi's support.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has also appealed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for his intervention to save Nimisha Priya. Mufti has also urged people to donate generously to raise the blood money needed to secure clemency for Nimisha Priya.
