Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response on Kerala Woman Facing Death Penalty in Yemen; Execution Scheduled for July 16

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice to the Attorney General, seeking the central government’s response in a case involving Nimisha Priya, a 37-year-old Indian nurse from Kerala who is facing the death penalty in Yemen for a murder conviction. The notice comes just days ahead of her scheduled execution on July 16, raising concerns over the urgency of diplomatic intervention.

The case was mentioned before the vacation bench of the apex court on Thursday by Priya’s legal team, who appealed for immediate judicial and diplomatic attention. The plea urged the Indian government to explore negotiations under Yemen’s Sharia law, which permits a blood money settlement with the victim’s family — a legal provision that, if accepted, could potentially commute the death sentence.

Highlighting the narrow window before the execution date, the petitioner’s counsel emphasized the need for swift diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Sana’a, arguing that Priya’s fundamental rights and right to life under Indian and international law necessitate intervention.

The court, acknowledging the urgency of the matter, listed the case for hearing on Monday, July 14, and issued a formal notice to the Attorney General of India, who represents the Union of India in constitutional matters. The Supreme Court is expected to review the Indian government’s position on facilitating consular and legal assistance in the matter.

Nimisha Priya, who had travelled to Yemen for work as a nurse, was convicted of killing her former Yemeni employer in 2017 under circumstances that her family and rights groups claim were linked to exploitation and abuse. Activists and human rights advocates in India have since been urging the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene on humanitarian grounds and engage with the Yemeni authorities to delay or overturn the sentence.