Nimisha Priya Execution Case:With just days left before the scheduled execution of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen, the Indian government told the Supreme Court on Monday that its hands are tied. Attorney General R Venkataramani informed the bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that despite backchannel efforts, “there is a limit to what the Government of India can do.”
Ms Priya is set to be executed on July 16, following her conviction for the murder of her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdo Mehdi in 2017. Her only remaining lifeline — the Yemeni legal provision of ‘blood money’, or diya, has not been accepted by the victim’s family despite an offer of $1 million (₹8.6 crore).
“It is unfortunate… there is a point till which we can go. We have reached it,” Mr Venkataramani said.
“A Matter of Honour”: Blood Money Rejected
During the hearing, the counsel for the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council acknowledged that the family’s acceptance of blood money is the only possible resolution.
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However, the Attorney General stated the family has refused the compensation, citing “a question of honour.”
“They said it is a question of honour. We don’t know if this will change with more money. But as of now, standstill,” he said.
The court also explored whether the Indian government could personally intervene to support the offer. However, Mr Venkataramani clarified that “any financial compensation offered can only be a personal gesture,” not a state action.
“We tried our best without going very public about it. It is unfortunate. But there is a limit to the functions of a government,” he said, adding that efforts had included communication with a local Sheikh and the public prosecutor, which ultimately yielded no results.
Nimisha Priya’s Story: From Nurse to Death Row
Ms Priya moved to Yemen in 2008, worked in several hospitals, and eventually opened her own clinic. Due to local laws, she was required to have a Yemeni business partner — in this case, Talal Abdo Mehdi.
She alleged that Mr Mehdi harassed her, seized her passport, and siphoned money. In 2017, she injected him with a sedative to retrieve her passport and escape, but he died from the injection. She was arrested while attempting to flee Yemen.
All her appeals were rejected, and her death sentence was upheld by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023, and subsequently ratified by the country’s President.
Under Yemeni law, the acceptance of blood money from the convict’s family can prevent execution, even up to the last moment. However, that window may be closing rapidly for Nimisha Priya.
