NEW DELHI, July 14: The Central government today informed the Supreme Court that it has exhausted all possible diplomatic and legal options to save Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who has been sentenced to death in Yemen for the murder of a Yemeni national.
A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a plea filed by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, seeking directions to the Centre to use diplomatic channels to secure her release.
Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General (AG) R Venkataramani stated, “Negotiating link has also been done. There is a point till which the Government of India can go. We have reached it. We also told the public prosecutor if the execution could be suspended. But it has not worked out. Nothing matters to the Yemen government.
“We did not go much public about it. We also got involved with a sheikh influential there. It did not work out.
“We got an informal communication that execution would be put in abeyance but we don’t know if it will work out. This is not an area where government can be asked to do something beyond defined limit.”
The AG further submitted that the government had explored all methods, including negotiations, but nothing has worked so far.
During the hearing, Justice Mehta noted that the petitioner claimed to have arranged blood money, the compensation payable to the deceased’s family under Yemeni law to secure release from execution.
However, the AG responded:
“They say it is a question of honour and we don’t accept. We don’t know if it changes with more money. But as of now it is at standstill.”
Senior Advocate Raghenth Basant, appearing for the petitioner organisation, stated, “Good samaritans are not able to do anything since it is Yemen.”
The AG replied, “Yes, nothing is happening. Problem is we can’t say ‘please do it’ and they will listen to us.”
The petitioner’s counsel also submitted that they were willing to pay a higher amount of blood money if that could resolve the matter.
The AG informed the court that the Joint Secretary from the Ministry of External Affairs was present and briefing him.
He added:
“There is a communication even at 10:30 am requesting for suspending the sentence. But nothing has happened. This may even prove counterproductive. These are highly confidential matters.”
The Court recorded the submissions and adjourned the matter to July 18, directing, “We have heard the AG. List on Friday. Let parties inform us the status.”
The Supreme Court was hearing the plea filed in Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council v. Union of India.
Nimisha Priya, who was working as a nurse in Yemen, was convicted for the murder of Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mahdi. Her appeal against the conviction was earlier rejected by the Yemeni Supreme Court.
Nimisha Priya is facing the death sentence in Yemen for the alleged murder of the Yemeni national in 2017. According to case records, Priya, who was working as a nurse in Yemen, was allegedly subjected to torture and assault by the Yemeni man.
It has been stated that to retrieve her passport, which was in his possession, she attempted to sedate him. However, an overdose of the sedative reportedly caused his death.
The present PIL, filed by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, seeks directions to the Central government to take urgent diplomatic steps to secure her release and save her from execution.
(UNI)
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