• Source:JND
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The Indian government's lawyer told the Supreme Court on Monday, “There is a point till which the Government of India can go. We have reached that,” making the statement just two days before Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya is scheduled to be executed in Yemen on July 16 for the 2017 murder of a local businessman.

What Govt Said To SC 

Attorney General R. Venkataramani informed the Supreme Court that all possible avenues have been explored to secure relief for the 38-year-old nurse from Palakkad. "Nothing has worked so far," he stated, adding that the matter may now be beyond the Indian government's control. The Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by the citizens' group, Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, and had requested the government's response.

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The situation is further complicated by the fact that India does not have formal diplomatic relations with the Houthis, the rebel group that controls parts of Yemen, including the capital Sana'a, where Nimisha Priya is imprisoned.

The government’s lawyer informed the court that India had sought the help of “an influential sheikh” in Yemen to try and persuade the local authorities.

“We got an informal communication that the execution would be put in abeyance, but we don’t know if it will work out,” he added.

The case of Nimisha Priya, a 38-year-old nurse from Palakkad facing execution in Yemen, took a grim turn as Attorney General R. Venkataramani informed the Supreme Court that all diplomatic efforts have been exhausted. "Nothing has worked so far," he said, adding that the situation may now be beyond the Indian government's control.

The Supreme Court was hearing a plea filed by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, a citizens' group seeking urgent intervention.

Complicating matters is the fact that India does not have formal diplomatic ties with the Houthis, the rebel group that controls Sana’a, where Priya is imprisoned. Government representatives told the court that India had even approached “an influential sheikh” in Yemen to intercede with the local authorities, but to no avail.

A last-minute request for a suspension of execution was sent as recently as 10:30 am on Monday, but the court was told that there has been no official response.

Under Sharia law, which governs Houthi-controlled Yemen, a convicted murderer can still be pardoned by the victim’s family if they accept financial compensation, or "blood money." The Save Nimisha Priya organisation told the court that her family had been in contact with the victim’s relatives and had raised “a sizable amount.” However, both the family and Houthi authorities have refused to engage. “They say it’s a question of honour,” the Attorney General said. “We don’t know if more money will change their mind. But as of now, it’s a standstill.”

What the Supreme Court Said ? 

The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, questioned the court’s jurisdiction: “How can we pass that order with respect to a foreign nation? Who is going to follow it?” The matter was adjourned to July 18, with instructions to all parties to inform the court of any developments in the interim.

Yemen Civil War Role In Nimisha Priya's life

Nimisha Priya was convicted for the murder of her Yemeni business associate, Talal Abdo Mahdi. According to her account, she was physically abused by Mahdi, who also withheld her passport. In an attempt to retrieve it, she injected him with sedatives, which resulted in a fatal overdose. She was sentenced to death by a trial court in Sana’a in 2020, a verdict upheld in 2023 by the Houthi Supreme Judicial Council.

Her mother, Prema Kumari, has been in Yemen for over a year, pursuing clemency. Last December, she had to seek permission from the Delhi High Court to travel to the conflict-ridden region.

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Priya, like many nurses from Kerala, moved to Yemen in 2008 for better earnings to support her parents, who were daily wage laborers. After working in various hospitals, she opened her own clinic with Mahdi as a mandatory local partner. She later accused him of abuse. In 2011, she married a fellow Malayali, and they have a daughter. Her husband and child returned to India in 2014 due to financial issues, the same year the Houthis took control of Sana’a amid the ongoing civil war.