The Supreme Court of India has agreed to urgently hear a plea seeking intervention to save Nimisha Priya, a 38-year-old nurse from Kerala, who faces execution in Yemen on July 16, 2025. Convicted in 2020 for the murder of her Yemeni business partner, Nimisha’s final appeal was rejected in 2023.
The plea requests the Centre to use diplomatic channels to negotiate her release, including exploring the payment of ‘blood money’ under Sharia law to the victim’s family. The court will hear the matter on July 14, with officials and activists urging swift diplomatic action to prevent the execution.
Supreme Court to Hear Plea for Diplomatic Intervention to Save Kerala Nurse
Nimisha Priya was sentenced to death by Yemeni courts for allegedly murdering her business associate, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2017. She reportedly injected him with sedatives to retrieve her passport, after suffering mental, physical, and financial abuse. Despite several appeals, including one to Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council which was rejected in 2023, the execution date was set for July 16, 2025.
The petition filed by the ‘Save Nimisha Priya Action Council’ urges the Indian government to engage diplomatically with Yemeni authorities and the victim’s family to negotiate a pardon through ‘blood money’—a financial compensation allowed under Sharia law. Senior Advocate Ragenth Basant, representing the petitioners, highlighted the urgency due to the limited time before the scheduled execution.
Background: The Case and Ongoing Diplomatic Efforts
Nimisha moved to Yemen in 2008 and co-owned a clinic with Talal Abdo Mahdi. Their relationship deteriorated amid allegations of abuse, culminating in the fatal incident. Nimisha was arrested near the Saudi border in 2017 and sentenced to death in 2018 after trials conducted in Arabic without an interpreter.
Since then, her family and supporters have been working tirelessly to secure her release, with her mother residing in Yemen to negotiate with the victim’s family. The Indian government has maintained contact with Yemeni authorities despite the complexities posed by the lack of formal diplomatic relations with the Houthi-controlled region where Nimisha is imprisoned. Efforts to raise and offer blood money have stalled, with the victim’s family yet to agree on terms.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Nimisha Priya’s case highlights the urgent need for robust diplomatic engagement and legal support for Indian citizens facing grave challenges abroad.
The Logical Indian calls on the government to intensify efforts to safeguard human rights through peaceful dialogue and negotiation, respecting both international law and cultural contexts.
