Supreme Court to Review Plea for Diplomatic Intervention in Nurse's Death Sentence in Yemen
Supreme Court Takes Up Case
The Supreme Court has agreed to consider a plea on Monday that calls for the Indian government to take diplomatic action to avert the execution of Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala, who is facing death in Yemen. Reports indicate that her execution is set for July 16.
The lawyer representing the petitioner has requested an expedited hearing, arguing that if the case is only addressed on Monday, it would leave insufficient time for any diplomatic negotiations.
He has urged the court to schedule the hearing for Thursday or Friday, as reported by a legal news outlet.
The plea was submitted by the Save Nimisha Priya Action Council, a grassroots initiative advocating for her release, and was presented to a vacation bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi.
The counsel highlighted that under Islamic Sharia law, there exists a provision for release if the victim's family accepts 'blood money', which is compensation paid to the family of a deceased individual.
The petitioner emphasized the necessity of pursuing diplomatic avenues in this case.
The bench instructed the counsel to share a copy of the petition with the attorney general.
Background on Nimisha Priya's Case
Nimisha Priya, hailing from Palakkad in Kerala, has been imprisoned in Yemen since July 2017 for the alleged murder of a Yemeni citizen named Talal Abdo Mehdi.
In 2020, she received a death sentence from a trial court in Sanaa, which was upheld by the Yemeni Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023, although they left open the possibility of paying 'blood money'.
On December 30, reports emerged that the chairperson of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council had sanctioned Priya's execution.
India's Ministry of External Affairs stated on December 31 that it was aware of the situation and was providing assistance to Priya and her family.
Priya's mother has been in discussions with Mehdi's family to negotiate a waiver of the death sentence.
Priya moved to Yemen in 2008 to support her parents, who worked as daily wage laborers. She initially worked in hospitals before establishing her clinic in 2015.
Conflicts arose between Priya and Mehdi after she confronted him regarding alleged financial misconduct, according to her family.
Her mother has claimed that Mehdi subjected Priya to years of torture while under the influence of drugs and even held her at gunpoint multiple times. The plea also alleges that Mehdi confiscated Priya's passport to prevent her from leaving Yemen.
Mehdi reportedly died from an overdose of sedatives that Priya allegedly administered during an attempt to reclaim her passport.
Call for Government Intervention
Kerala MPs K Radhakrishnan and John Brittas have urged the Union government to take action through high-level diplomatic channels, as reported by a news outlet.
The legislators, representing the Communist Party of India (Marxist), sent letters to the Union government, highlighting the urgency of the situation following the reported approval of Priya's execution by Yemeni authorities.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Radhakrishnan emphasized the need for government intervention to either secure Priya's release or seek a commutation of her death sentence.
He expressed that Priya's family is enduring immense distress and is relying on the Indian government's intervention.
Brittas, a member of the Rajya Sabha, reached out to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, requesting immediate diplomatic efforts to negotiate with Mehdi's family and other relevant parties in Yemen.
He stressed that while the action council is prepared to cover the full 'blood money' amount, government support is essential to identify key stakeholders, finalize the payment, and ensure its safe transfer.
Brittas noted that an initial payment of $40,000 had already been made to the government, but there has been no follow-up regarding the remaining amount or updates on negotiation progress, leading to a loss of critical time.