SC to hear plea seeking diplomatic negotiations to save Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya on July 14

The Supreme Court will hear a plea seeking diplomatic intervention from the Central government to save Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya and stall her execution in Yemen on July 16. The apex court will hear the matter next week.

 

Hearing the matter, a bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi agreed to list the matter for hearing on July 14. According to Live Law, Senior Advocate Ragenth Basant, assisted by Basant, assisted by Advocate K. Subhash Chandran, representing 

'Save Nimisha Priya Action Council', sought the Central government's diplomatic intervention to save Nimisha Priya from execution and secure her release. The lawyers sought an earlier date for the hearing as the execution is slated for July 16. The apex court will start working with full strength from Monday, after partial working days for a month and a half.

 

The petitioners said as per Shariat law, a person facing execution can be released if the victim's family agree to accept 'blood money' and negotiations should be held to explore that possibility.

 

Earlier, a source from the Ministry of External Affairs told THE WEEK that the ministry has been closely following the matter since Nimisha's death sentence in June 2018. "We have been in regular touch with local authorities and her family members and rendered all possible assistance," the source added.

 

Priya, a nurse from Kerala, was convicted of murdering a Yemeni citizen, Talal Abdo Mehdi. She reached Yemen in 2011 and partnered with Talal to set up a clinic in Sana'a in 2015 under his sponsorship. Talal allegedly forged marriage documents and took Priya's passport, extorted money from her and abused her physically and mentally. 

 

Priya allegedly drugged Talal to retrieve her passport and escape from Yemen, but he died. Priya was arrested by Yemeni authorities in 2017 and was sentenced to execution in 2020. 

India