Nothing working out: Centre to Supreme Court on attempts to save Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya on death row in Yemen

The Central government on Monday told the Supreme Court that it has exhausted all possible options to Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya who has been sentenced to death in Yemen for the murder of a Yemeni national [Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council v. Union of India].

Attorney General (AG) R Venkataramani told a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that the government has explored all methods including negotiations but nothing has worked out so far.

He further said that a request was also made to suspend the execution of the sentence but it yielded no positive results.

"Negotiating link has also been done. There is a point till which Government of India can go. We have reached it. We also told the public prosecutor if the execution can be suspended. But it has not worked out. Nothing matters to 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. Not an area where government can be asked to do something beyond defined limit," AG Venkataramani said.

The Court was hearing a plea by an organisation named Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council (petitioner), a voluntary body attempting to coordinate efforts to save Nimisha Priya.

Nimisha Priya was working as a nurse in Yemen. She was sentenced to death for murder of a Yemeni citizen, Talal Abdo Mahdi. Her appeal against the conviction was also rejected by the Yemeni Supreme Court.

During the hearing today, the Court noted that the petitioner has managed to arrange blood money, which is payment of compensation to the relatives/ family of the deceased person in exchange for release of the accused person in gallows.

The AG said that while blood money has been arranged, relatives have not accepted the same on the ground that it is a question of honour.

"They say it is question of honour and 'we don't accept'. We don't know if it changes with more money. But as of now standstill," the AG said.

"Good samaritans are not able to do anything since it is Yemen," petitioner's counsel Senior Advocate Raghenth Basant said.

"Yes, nothing is happening. Problem is we can't say please do it and they will listen to us," the AG said.

"We are willing to pay higher blood money also," Basant said.

"Joint Secretary External Affairs is also here. He is also briefing me. There is a communication even at 10:30 am requesting for suspending. But nothing has happened. This may even prove counter productive. These are highly confidential," the AG further submitted.

The Court eventually adjourned the matter for July 18.

"We have heard the AG. List on Friday. Let parties inform us the status," the Bench directed.

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