SC to examine plea urging diplomatic rescue of nurse in Yemen

The Supreme Court will hear a plea urging the Centre to intervene diplomatically to save Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse facing execution in Yemen on July 16 for murder. The petitioner suggests exploring blood money under Sharia law for pardon

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a plea seeking a direction to the Centre to use diplomatic channels to make an attempt to save an Indian nurse, who is likely to be executed in Yemen on July 16 for murder charges.

A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi listed the matter for hearing on July 14 after advocate Subhash Chandran KR said diplomatic channels need to be explored at the earliest.

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He submitted that payment of blood money to the family of the deceased permissible under Sharia law can be explored. The family of the deceased may pardon the Kerala nurse if blood money is paid, he submitted.

The bench asked the counsel to serve the copy of the petition to the Attorney General and sought his assistance.

Nimisha Priya, 38, a nurse from Palakkad district of Kerala, was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner in 2017. She was sentenced to death in 2020, and her final appeal was rejected in 2023. She is currently imprisoned in a jail in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen.

The plea has been filed by an organisation “Save Nimisha Priya – International Action Council” which extends legal support to assist Nimishapriya. The plea cited a media report that stated that the tentative date for execution of Nimishapriya has been fixed as July 16 by the Yemeni administration.