NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear an urgent plea seeking a directive to the Centre to intervene diplomatically to save an Indian nurse, Nimisha Priya, who is facing execution in Yemen. The hearing has been scheduled for July 14, just two days before her scheduled execution on July 16.
A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi acknowledged the urgency of the matter and asked the Centre to clarify its efforts through the Attorney General. “Considering the nature and urgency of the case, we request the Centre to apprise this court through the Attorney General about the steps taken, if any,” the bench said.
Senior advocate Raghenth Basant, appearing for the petitioner, pointed out that under Sharia law, the payment of “blood money” to the victim’s family could be considered. He added that the victim’s kin might be willing to pardon Priya if compensation is paid.
Nimisha Priya, a 38-year-old nurse from Palakkad, Kerala, was convicted in 2017 for the murder of her Yemeni business partner. She was sentenced to death in 2020, and her final appeal was rejected in 2023. She remains incarcerated in a prison in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen.
