New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday was informed that there was “no immediate threat” of execution looming over Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who is on death row in Yemen after being convicted of murdering a local national in 2017.
Appearing before a Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath and also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta, counsel for the petitioner — the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, which has been providing legal and diplomatic support — requested adjournment, stating that negotiations for her release were progressing.
“Negotiations are going on. As of now, there is no immediate threat. Kindly adjourn it by four weeks. Hopefully, everything will be over by that time,” the petitioner’s counsel told the court. Taking note of the submission, the Bench deferred the matter for eight weeks, with liberty to mention the case earlier in case of any urgency.
Nimisha Priya, a 38-year-old nurse from Palakkad, Kerala, is currently lodged in a prison in Sana’a, the Yemeni capital. She was initially scheduled for execution on July 16 this year, following her conviction by a trial court for the murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi. According to the prosecution, Priya allegedly injected the victim with sedatives in an attempt to retrieve her passport, which he had withheld. The conviction was upheld by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023.
Earlier, on July 18, the Union Government had informed the Supreme Court that Priya’s execution had been stayed. Attorney General R. Venkataramani told the Bench that the Centre was making efforts to ensure her release and safe return to India.
Senior advocate Regenth Basant, representing the petitioner, explained that under Sharia law, execution can be averted if the victim’s family accepts “blood money” in exchange for a pardon. The court has already permitted the private council supporting Priya to approach the Centre for clearance to travel to Yemen to facilitate negotiations.
The case continues to draw widespread attention in India, especially in Kerala, where several rights groups and expatriate organisations have campaigned for Priya’s release.
