SC to hear plea to stay execution of Nimisha Priya; advocate suggest this option to save Kerala nurse

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a plea seeking a direction to the Centre to use diplomatic channels to save Indian nurse, Nimisha Priya, 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. 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. Blood money, also called ‘diya’, is financial compensation given by the accused to the family of the victim in such cases 

Who is Nimisha Priya and why is she convicted? 

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 Nimisha Priya. The plea cited a media report that stated that the tentative date for execution of Nimisha Priya has been fixed as July 16 by the Yemeni administration. 

What does Indian govt say? 

The Indian government has said it is in regular contact with authorities in Yemen as well as with Nimisha's family. "We have been in regular touch with local authorities and her family members and rendered all possible assistance. We continue to closely follow the matter," news agency ANI reported. Samuel Jerome Baskaran, a social worker who has been negotiating with Yemeni officials and Mahdi's family, is expected to soon leave for Yemen to resume talks with the parties. 

What dos the Sharia Law says? 

According to the Sharia law, the punishment for murder by intent is death or other based on nature of crime. “But if it is not a willful murder but a murder by mistake, the punishment according to verse (4:92) is ransom money (blood money). But if a remission is made by the heirs of the slain out of their own goodwill, they are allowed to do so. In such a case, it is incumbent on the murderer to abide by what has been settled and pay it in a commendable manner,” the law reads. 


(With inputs from agencies)