An early hearing was sought from the Delhi High Court on the petition seeking intervention of the Government of India in the case of Nimisha Priya, who was awarded the death sentence in Yemen.
Accepting the request of the petitioner, the Acting Chief Justice decided to hear the matter today.
It is pertinent to note that an appeal has been moved in the Delhi High Court to save Indian citizen Nimisha Priya, a Nurse by profession in Yemen, who was awarded death sentence in that country for killing Talal Abdo Mahdi, a Yemeni National, after injecting him with sedatives to get back her passport, which was in his possession. Nimisha had alleged abuse and torture by Mahdi.
The plea, filed by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, states that Nimisha has been held guilty of murder after she gave sedatives to a man, who took her passport and “kept her like a slave” in Yemen. The plea further said that the deceased physically and financially abused her, and locked away her passport, so she could not return to India.
Nimisha and a friend then gave sedatives to the deceased, leading to his death due to overdose.
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The plea further said that due to socio-political situation in Yemen, traveling to that country is not allowed and there is no way for her family or well-wishers to visit Yemen and pay blood money to secure her release.
The petition sought directions to the MEA to “facilitate diplomatic interventions as well as negotiations with the family of victim on behalf of Nimisha Priya to save her life by paying blood money in accordance with the law of the land in a time-bound manner.
The plea further sought directions to MEA to
“immediately initiate necessary steps for filing a formal appeal before the Supreme Court / Supreme Judicial Council to save the life of Nimisha Priya, in accordance with the law of Yemen”
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If the government is not able to secure an appeal, the plea has also sought permission to collect and send money to Yemen to pay “blood money” to the family of the deceased, so that she can avoid death penalty in Yemen.