"But this is my final plea — please help us save her life. Time is running out,”
Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response in Nimisha Priya Death Penalty Case in Yemen
New Delhi – The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Attorney General of India (AGI), seeking the central government’s response to the plea filed on behalf of Nimisha Priya, a 37-year-old Indian woman from Kerala, who is facing the death penalty in Yemen.
Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse, was convicted of murder in Yemen, and her execution is scheduled for July 16, 2025. Last year, the President of Yemen approved her death sentence.
Her counsel presented the plea before a vacation bench of the Supreme Court on Friday, requesting an urgent hearing. The lawyer argued that the Indian government can explore negotiations through diplomatic channels to save Nimisha Priya’s life.
It was also stated that under Sharia law in Yemen, there is an option for "blood money" — a form of financial compensation to the victim’s family — which could commute her death sentence if accepted.
After hearing the submissions, the bench issued notice to the AGI and scheduled the matter for hearing on Monday, July 15 — just one day before the scheduled execution.
Advocate Subhash Chandran KR, representing Nimisha Priya, told ANI, "We filed the petition today morning itself...The bench agreed to hear considering urgency of the matter. The bench directed to serve the advance copy to Attorney General's office. So, they can look into the matter and the Govt can do whatever possible. The matter has been listed on 14th July...Now our prayer for exploring the possibility of negotiation through diplomatic channel..."
Background of the Case
According to NDTV, Nimisha Priya moved to Yemen in 2008 to support her family and worked in various hospitals. In 2014, she opened a clinic with Talal Abdo Mahdi, a Yemeni national, as local laws required a partnership with a Yemeni citizen to run a business.
However, the partnership deteriorated, and Nimisha Priya reportedly filed a complaint against Mahdi in 2016, after which he was arrested but later released. She alleged that he continued to threaten her.
The report adds that Priya’s family claimed she allegedly injected Mahdi with sedatives in an attempt to retrieve her confiscated passport, but an overdose led to his death. She was arrested while trying to flee the country and was convicted of murder in 2018.
The verdict was later upheld by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023.
Family’s Plea for Help
Nimisha Priya's mother, who works as a domestic help in Kochi, sold her house to fight the legal battle and has now made an emotional appeal to save her daughter.
“I am deeply grateful to the Indian and Kerala governments, as well as the committee formed to save her, for all the support provided so far. But this is my final plea — please help us save her life. Time is running out,” she said.
Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs told NDTV that India has been closely monitoring the case since last year and is in regular contact with Yemeni authorities and Nimisha Priya’s family.
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