Detention of Zenab Javadli Amid Custody Dispute
The ex-wife of a nephew of Dubai's ruler has been taken into custody, according to authorities, as a custody dispute over their three young daughters intensifies.
Dubai Public Prosecution informed the BBC that Zenab Javadli was detained following a complaint filed by the father of her children, her former husband Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Javadli's family and friends lost contact with her on Tuesday night and raised concerns about her whereabouts.
For nearly two days, no information was available regarding the location of Javadli or her children.
She had reportedly spent months mostly confined to her home, fearing that security officers would take her children from her and arrest her.
According to Dubai Public Prosecution, her ex-husband alleges that she abducted the children during a court-approved visitation session.
Last year, Sheikh Saeed filed a police complaint accusing Javadli of kidnapping their daughters after the children were exchanged multiple times between the parents, with each accusing the other of abduction.
Javadli, a former international gymnast, has also faced potential arrest for electronic crimes in the UAE after livestreaming one of the confrontations last year.
In a video message addressed to British human rights lawyer David Haigh, who has been advocating on her behalf, she explained her actions:
"I knew that it was the last chance to be with my children as they would never let me see them again. I genuinely believed that it was my last chance, so I just opened a livestream and called for help."
Lawyers representing Sheikh Saeed have stated in court hearings concerning the custody case that Javadli was an unfit mother. They claimed she failed to send her daughters to school, lived in unsuitable accommodations while staying in a hotel, and endangered the health of the youngest child.
On Thursday evening, Dubai Public Prosecution issued a statement indicating that the case remains under investigation and is subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
"[We] will continue to take the necessary legal measures in accordance with applicable laws, while safeguarding the children's wellbeing and best interests," the statement added.
In response, David Haigh called on the UAE authorities to immediately grant Javadli access to her lawyer, consulate, and family, and to release her back to her home in Dubai.
