The former wife of a member of Dubai's ruling family has expressed concern that she could be arrested as her ex-husband has lodged a criminal complaint with local police, accusing her of kidnapping their three young daughters. Since their divorce in 2019, Zeynab Javadli has been involved in a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is the nephew of the ruler of Dubai.
The fight has escalated recently, with accusations of kidnapping flying between them as the children have changed hands multiple times. Ms. Javadli could also face charges related to e-crimes after she livestreamed a confrontation, aware that it could endanger her custody rights.
In a poignant message to her lawyer, she described her act as a final plea for help. I knew that it was the last chance to be with my children as they would never let me see them again, she stated, revealing her desperate situation.
Living in Dubai, Ms. Javadli feels that she and her daughters have become isolated since she took them back after a series of visitations with their father. Despite previously having a custody agreement with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, circumstances changed when she lost the legal battle to Sheikh Saeed.
She claims a message relayed through Dubai police indicated there was no need to wait for her children to return, leading to weeks of confusion. When finally allowed visitation at a child protection center, she found her daughters were not there when she arrived, but spotted them leaving, crying for her to take them home.
The situation escalated when she livestreamed the incident, realizing it was risky but deemed necessary to ensure her children's safety. She subsequently reports remaining indoors for fear of law enforcement, which has led to her daughters missing school.
As the case unfolds, it highlights compelling discussions about women’s rights in the UAE, revealing how, beneath Dubai's progressive image, some women face challenges that can undermine their autonomy.
The fight has escalated recently, with accusations of kidnapping flying between them as the children have changed hands multiple times. Ms. Javadli could also face charges related to e-crimes after she livestreamed a confrontation, aware that it could endanger her custody rights.
In a poignant message to her lawyer, she described her act as a final plea for help. I knew that it was the last chance to be with my children as they would never let me see them again, she stated, revealing her desperate situation.
Living in Dubai, Ms. Javadli feels that she and her daughters have become isolated since she took them back after a series of visitations with their father. Despite previously having a custody agreement with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, circumstances changed when she lost the legal battle to Sheikh Saeed.
She claims a message relayed through Dubai police indicated there was no need to wait for her children to return, leading to weeks of confusion. When finally allowed visitation at a child protection center, she found her daughters were not there when she arrived, but spotted them leaving, crying for her to take them home.
The situation escalated when she livestreamed the incident, realizing it was risky but deemed necessary to ensure her children's safety. She subsequently reports remaining indoors for fear of law enforcement, which has led to her daughters missing school.
As the case unfolds, it highlights compelling discussions about women’s rights in the UAE, revealing how, beneath Dubai's progressive image, some women face challenges that can undermine their autonomy.
