Centre to SC: Blood Money Sole Option to Save Nimisha Priya in Yemen

New Delhi, July 14, 2025:

In a significant update on the Nimisha Priya case, the Centre has informed the Supreme Court that Yemen’s legal system leaves no room for diplomatic intervention to halt her execution. Instead, the only possible route is through the payment of blood money (diya) to the family of the victim.The government’s statement came during the hearing of a petition filed by Priya’s mother, who urged the court to direct the government to intervene diplomatically in Yemen to save her daughter.

Legal and Diplomatic Barriers

Describing the situation as “extremely complex”, the government explained that the Indian embassy has limited leverage in Yemen, a country governed by strict Shariah laws where the settlement of murder cases through compensation to the victim’s family is permitted under specific circumstances.

Nimisha Priya was convicted for the murder of a Yemeni national, allegedly in a case of personal abuse and self-defense that spiraled into a fatal incident. Despite appeals, the death sentence was upheld by Yemeni courts.

What is Blood Money?

Under Yemeni law, blood money is a form of financial compensation paid to a victim’s family in cases of murder or injury, potentially enabling the convict to avoid capital punishment if the family accepts the offer.

Activists and legal experts have also weighed in, calling for expedited fundraising efforts and diplomatic engagement to reach the victim’s family before it’s too late.

Awaiting Court Directions

The Supreme Court is yet to pass further directions in the matter, but the Centre’s affidavit has clarified that their scope of action is legally constrained to facilitating the compensation process, rather than any direct intervention in Yemen’s judiciary.The case continues to draw national attention, especially from Kerala, where there are growing calls for urgent action to prevent Nimisha’s execution.