The Supreme Court of India will hear a habeas corpus plea on Monday, July 14, under urgent listing, seeking diplomatic action to rescue Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya from execution in Yemen in just two days’ time. The plea has asked the Indian government to discuss about the case with Yemeni officials to stop her death sentence, perhaps through the payment of “blood money” to the victim’s family a provision of law under Yemen’s Sharia law.
Nimisha Priya, 38, is from Palakkad district in Kerala and has been on death row since 2017 for killing her former business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi a Yemeni citizen. As per the latest development, Nimisha is to be executed on Tuesday, July 16.
What Was the Reason Behind Nimisha Priya’s Death Sentence?
Nimisha shifted to Yemen along with her family in 2011 to be a nurse. Although her husband and daughter traveled back to India in 2014 because of the increasing civil unrest, she remained behind to earn money for her family. Foreign medical professionals are required by Yemeni law to join hands with a Yemeni citizen to operate a clinic. Nimisha formed a business partnership with Mahdi due to this requirement.
But in accordance with her family and attorneys, Mahdi allegedly abused the arrangement. He is accused of forging documents to indicate that he was married to her, holding her passport hostage, and physically and financially abusing her for years.
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In 2017, Nimisha is said to have tried sedating Mahdi in an attempt to get her passport and escape the country. The sedative is said, however, to have killed him. She was then accused of cutting up his body and throwing it away — a charge that got her arrested and subsequently sentenced to death in 2020. The Supreme Judicial Council of Yemen confirmed the sentence in 2023.
Plea in Supreme Court in Nimisha Priya case
The latest plea before the Supreme Court, filed by advocate Subhash Chandran KR, highlights that Nimisha’s family has offered $1 million (approximately ₹8.6 crore) as blood money to Mahdi’s family in hopes of securing a pardon. The plea argues that under Yemeni law, the acceptance of blood money by the victim’s family can legally halt an execution.
A two-member bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta will hear the case today. The plea was earlier scheduled for an urgent hearing on July 10.
Rising Pressure on Indian Government in Nimisha Priya case
With the countdown to execution closing in, there is rising pressure on the Indian government to move quickly. Nimisha’s family members, activists, and legal allies have continuously asked the Ministry of External Affairs to increase diplomatic efforts.
Her advocates hold the view that she is a victim of abuse and exploitation who was desperate and acted out of vulnerability. They think that paying blood money and obtaining a pardon is her only means of survival.
With only two days left before the planned execution, the Supreme Court hearing today is seen as a desperate attempt to spare Nimisha Priya. Her case has raised widespread anxiety and discussion regarding the security and legal rights of Indian workers, particularly women, in war zones overseas.
ALSO READ: Will Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya Escape Death? Family Ready To Pay $1 Million In Blood Money
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
