Why Dubai Princess Escaped? (Solution found)

Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum – also known as Princess Latifa – was running away from her father, the authoritarian ruler of Dubai, when her escape was thwarted after a dramatic raid of her yacht in 2018 on the Indian Ocean.

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  • Dubai has an escaping Princess problem, caused by domestic violence and forced marriages according to the ex-wife of Dubai’s ruler. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum has resurfaced in a smuggled video after a failed escape attempt in 2018.

What happened to Dubai’s Princess Latifa?

The campaign to free Princess Latifa, the daughter of the ruler of Dubai, has been disbanded after she was pictured in Iceland. The image was posted on Instagram on Monday by a British woman who has previously appeared in photos with her.

Is the princess of Dubai still missing?

Dubai’s Princess Latifa was tagged in a social media post on Sunday, describing her as being on a “European holiday” in Spain. The boat was detained off the coast of India by Emirati commandos, and she was returned to Dubai on a private jet, where she has remained largely out of the public eye until recently.

Is Princess Latifa Still Alive 2021?

The United Nations human rights office asked the UAE to present a proof that Princess Latifa is alive. Nearly two months later, on 9 April 2021, the organization said that while the Emirates stated that Sheikha Latifa was being cared for by her family, the country failed to provide a “proof of life” for her.

Is Princess Latifa free now?

Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed, has come under international pressure to demonstrate that Latifa is free and well after she said her life was heavily controlled in a video released after her unsuccessful attempt to flee. The princess, 35, is one the sheikh’s estimated 25 children by several wives.

Who is Dubai’s wife?

A High Court judge said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum must pay 251.5 million pounds to his U.K.-based sixth wife, Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, and make ongoing payments for their children Jalila, 14, and Zayed, 9, underpinned by a bank guarantee of 290 million pounds.

Has Saudi princess been found?

The UN says the United Arab Emirates has failed to provide compelling proof that Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum – the missing daughter of Dubai’s ruler, last seen in late 2018 – is still alive. The UAE last month said Princess Latifa was being cared for at home by family and medical professionals.

Can I live with my girlfriend in Dubai?

TLDR version: Yes, there are unmarried couples living together in Dubai. In the UAE and Dubai, it is against Sharia law to live together, in the western sense, with someone you are not married to. You can only live together with a member of the opposite sex if you are married to them, or they are a family member.

Where is Princess Shamsa now?

She was transported back to Dubai and has not been seen in public since. The Princess, who is now 39, is presumed to be held captive. A High Court judge ruled in 2019 that the Sheikh held Shamsa, as well as her sister, Princess Latifa, against her will, after abducting them both on separate occasions.

How old is Sheikha Latifa?

Marcus Essabri is an activist. He grew up with his cousins Latifa and Shamsa in the places of Dubai. He is the nephew of the prime minister of the UAE Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Marcus Essabri currently lives in Australia and has been pleading and spreading awareness about the ills and ‘crimes’ of the UAE ruler.

Why is Princess Latifa in Iceland?

Princess Latifa alleged she was detained after trying to escape Dubai. She was taken from a yacht in international waters by armed men and returned to the country. The campaign calling for her freedom will disband after she met with her cousin in Iceland.

Who is Sheikha Mahra?

Her Highness Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the daughter of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai paid a visit to Expo 2020 Dubai.

Princess Latifa timeline: The failed escapes of Sheikh Mohammed’s daughters

While on vacation with other members of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s family at their Surrey estate, Shamsa, Princess Latifa’s older sister, manages to get away from the authorities. The sheikh initiates a hunt for her but does not notify the authorities; his men eventually find her down in Cambridge more than a month later.” Shamsa claims she was forced into a car by four Arab males and taken to her father’s home in Newmarket, where she was injected and given drugs, according to an email she sent to her attorney.

Latifa attempts her first escape attempt when she is sixteen years old.

She claims she was tortured while being held in solitary confinement.

The first person Latifa meets is Tiina Jauhiainen, a fitness teacher who has been engaged to train her capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that originated in Brazil.

  1. Latifa’s freedom of movement is severely restricted; she is not permitted to own a passport, drive, or leave Dubai.
  2. Over the following few years, they meticulously plot her escape, with Tiina Jauhiainen serving as an aide and go-between throughout the process.
  3. She refers to it as a “just in case” video, and she distributes it to a small group of trusted individuals with the command to make it public if the escape attempt fails.
  4. Early in the morning, Latifa and Ms Jauhiainen meet in a parking lot and embark on a 26-mile journey by inflatable boat and jet ski to international seas, where Mr Jaubert is waiting aboard a yacht with the US flag.
  5. Indian Special Forces board the boat eight days into the voyage when it comes within sight of India’s eastern coastline.
  6. Latifa is hauled from the boat by the ropes and chains.
  7. Ms Jauhiainen begins to convey her experience to the rest of the world after the anti-UAE pressure organization Detained in Dubai releases a video of her.
  8. The program will be shown on March 31 “by the members of the family The report claims that she is now “safe in Dubai,” where she is spending her birthday “”in the solitude and quiet of your own home.” Image captionMary Robinson and Latifah were at the luncheon together.
  9. This is the first time anyone has seen Latifa since her failed attempt to flee from the country.

She portrays Latifa as a “troubled young woman” who is undergoing “psychiatric care.” Latifa is described as a “troubled young woman.” She is instantly met with opposition from the international human rights community, and campaign organizations accuse her of advocating for the “Dubai line.” caption for image: Latifah in one of the secret tapes she produced Tiina Jauhiainen receives a message from an unknown sender claiming to be in contact with Latifa, who she believes is her sister.

  • After successfully completing a series of security questions, Ms Jauhiainen initiates direct communication with Latifa and is successful in obtaining a phone for her.
  • Ms Jauhiainen, her lawyer David Haigh, and her maternal cousin Marcus Essabri communicate with Latifa on a regular basis in the months following the establishment of phone communication between them.
  • Image captionPrincess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed at Royal Ascot in 2010.
  • His sole spouse with a public profile is Haya, who became the Sheikh’s sixth wife in April 2004.
  • Sheikh Mohammed has begun legal action in a UK court to have his two children from his marriage to Princess Haya returned to their home country of Dubai.
  • The High Court of Justice in the United Kingdom has issued a fact-finding ruling in which it is determined that Sheikh Mohammed was responsible for the kidnapping and forced return of Shamsa and Latifa to Dubai on the balance of probability.
  • David Haigh realizes that his signals to Latifa aren’t reaching through to her at the moment.
  • In her first interview after the photographs of her and Latifa were published in 2018, Mary Robinson claims that she and Princess Haya were duped by the sheikh and that she is extremely concerned about Latifa.
  • She says she regrets not having the opportunity to meet with Latifa alone and inquire how she was doing in her situation.

The letter, according to Cambridgeshire Police, would be “considered as part of the continuing investigation” into the event.

Princess Latifa: ‘Hostage’ ordeal of Dubai ruler’s daughter revealed

Caption: Videos of Dubai’s Princess Latifa in “villa prison” have been circulated. She later made hidden video messages to friends, accusing her father of holding her “hostage” and expressing fear for her life as she attempted to exit the country in 2018. The daughter of Dubai’s ruler attempted to flee the nation in 2018. Princess Latifa Al Maktoum claims that commandos drugged her as she attempted to flee by boat and then flew her back to jail in footage released with BBC Panorama. The secret messages have ceased, and friends have called on the United Nations to intervene.

  • Mary Robinson, a former United Nations human rights ambassador who met Latifa in 2018 and characterized her as a “troubled young woman,” now claims she was “horribly deceived” by the princess’s family.
  • “I’m still quite concerned about Latifa’s well-being.
  • As a result, I believe it should be explored “” she explained.
  • He is the ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates, and Latifa’s father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is one of the world’s wealthiest heads of state, as well as being the ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • After her arrest and repatriation to Dubai, Latifa was covertly provided a year’s worth of food and water.
  • She explained in full how she did it in the messages:
  • In response to the troops removing her from the boat, she fought back by “kicking and struggling” and biting one Emirati commando’s arm till he screamed
  • She was arrested. After being tranquillised, she lost consciousness while being transported on a private jet, and she didn’t regain consciousness until the plane touched down in Dubai
  • She was being held alone, without access to medical or legal assistance, in a villa with its windows and doors barred shut and guarded by police
  • She was being held without access to medical or legal assistance in a villa with its windows and doors barred shut and guarded by police
  • She was being held alone without access to medical or legal assistance in a villa

Tiina Jauhiainen, Latifa’s fitness teacher, assisted her with the escape plot, as depicted in the image description. During an interview with Panorama, Latifa’s close friend Tiina Jauhiainen, maternal cousin Marcus Essabri, and activist David Haigh shared their accounts of Latifa’s kidnapping and incarceration with the program. They are all supporters of the movement to free Latifa. As a result of their fear for Latifa’s safety, they say they have made the tough choice to share the texts at this time.

Panorama has independently confirmed the location of Latifa’s detention center in this report.

Watch Panorama

The Missing Princess will air on BBC One in the United Kingdom on Tuesday at 20:30, with a replay available on BBC iPlayer. The metropolis Sheikh Mohammed has established has been enormously successful, but human rights groups claim that there is little tolerance for criticism and that the court system has the potential to discriminate against women. He is the owner of a large horse-racing operation and regularly attends important events such as Royal Ascot, where he has been photographed with Queen Elizabeth II, among other royalties.

Sheikh Mohammed, second from right, who is a regular attendee at horse racing events, is shown with Queen Elizabeth in 2019.

Prince Mohammed has, however, come under heavy fire for his treatment of both Princess Latifa and Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, who fled to the United Kingdom with her two children in 2019.

The boat escape

It was only when Latifa, now 35, made contact with French businessman Herve Jaubert in 2011 that a long-awaited escape was set into action. She had attempted to go from Syria when she was 16 years old. This was accomplished with the assistance of Ms Jauhiainen, who served as her capoeira (a Brazilian martial art) instructor at the time. On the 24th of February, Latifa and Ms Jauhiainen embarked on an inflatable boat and jet ski to reach international seas, where Mr Jaubert was waiting on a yacht with the United States flag.

  • Ms Jauhiainen claims that smoke grenades pushed her and Latifa out of their hiding place in the restroom below deck, where they were then detained at gunpoint for many hours.
  • After two weeks in jail in Dubai, Ms Jauhiainen and the rest of the boat’s crew were finally released.
  • In a press release, Dubai’s Princess Latifa provides facts about an alleged kidnapping.
  • In her words, “If you’re seeing this video, it’s not a good sign; either I’m dead or I’m in a very, really, really awful circumstance.” Her detention provoked widespread international outrage and requests for her release as a result of this.

The Robinson meeting

It was only when Latifa, now 35, made contact with French businessman Herve Jaubert in 2011 that a long-awaited escape was set into action. She had attempted to emigrate from Syria since she was 16 years old. Capoeira is a Brazilian martial technique that was taught to Ms Jauhiainen, who assisted her in completing this task. Using an inflatable boat and jet ski, Latifa and Ms Jauhiainen navigated their way to international seas, where Mr Jaubert awaited on a yacht with the United States flag.

Mrs Jauhiainen claims smoke grenades pushed her and Latifa out of hiding in a restroom below deck, where they were detained at gunpoint, and that they were threatened with death.

Two weeks after arriving in Dubai, Ms Jauhiainen and the rest of the boat’s crew were released.

Dubai’s Princess Latifa exposes allegations of suspected kidnapping in a press conference Latifa made another video before her 2018 escape attempt, which was later uploaded on YouTube after she was apprehended.

Following considerable international pressure to account for her whereabouts, the UAE agreed to meet with Ms Robinson in order to discuss the situation.

More on this story

PRINCESS Latifa sent covert video communications to her pals, claiming she was being kept “as a prisoner of conscience.” The daughter of Dubai’s ruler has expressed concern for her safety after being detained in a home that has been converted into a prison. On February 19, the United Nations intervened and requested “evidence of life” from the United Arab Emirates. According to the Dubai royal family, Princess Latifa is “being cared for at home” as a result of the incident. 6 Before attempting to flee, she featured in a video in which she explains the truth of life in the Dubai royal family, which she details in detail.

Who is Princess Latifa of Dubai?

Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum is the 35-year-old daughter of Dubai’s billionaire ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.The Sheikh is the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates – and is believed to have several children from various wives.In a 40-minute video released as part of her escape bid, Latifa claimed she had previously attempted to leave the UAE when she was 16 but had been apprehended at the border and imp

Where is Princess Latifa?

Princess Latifa said she was being held in a “villa jail” in a video message she sent to her friends, which was retrieved by BBC Panorama and broadcast on the programme. “I’m making this video from the bathroom because it’s the only area where I have a door that I can lock,” she explained. The Princess said that she was unable to lock the door to her chamber because she did not have a key. It is thought that the home is located in Dubai, according to the BBC Panorama program. On Friday, February 19, the Dubai royal family released a statement in which they stated that the princess is currently “being cared for at her residence.” “In reaction to media stories surrounding Sheikha Latifa, we would like to thank those who have expressed concern for her well-being, despite coverage that is obviously not indicative of the true situation,” the family stated in a statement published through the UAE embassy in London.

” Several members of her family have verified that Her Highness is being cared for at home, with the assistance of family members and medical specialists.

6 Latifa stated that they were unable to open any windows.

Is Princess Latifa of Dubai being held hostage?

Princess Latifa said she was being held in a “villa jail” in a video she sent to her friends, which was discovered by BBC Panorama. “I’m doing this video from the bathroom since it’s the only place where I can lock the door.” she explained. Because she didn’t have a key, the Princess said that she couldn’t lock the door to her room. According to BBC Panorama, the home is said to be located in Dubai. The princess is currently “being cared for at home,” according to a statement released by the Dubai royal family on Friday, February 19.

” She is being cared for at home, according to her family and medical specialists, according to a statement sent by her family.

In addition to the announcement confirming the princess’s survival, no photographs or video footage were published. 6 No window, Latifa stated, could be opened. Enterprise News and Pictures is credited with this photograph.

Why did Princess Latifa run away?

As a result of her family’s history, Princess Latifa stated that she wished to leave. Using camera, she accused her father of abusing her and her sister Shamsa, among other severe claims, including murder, in a video posted on YouTube. According to her acquaintances, Princess Latifa of Dubai scraped up £315,000 and contacted Hervé Jaubert, a former French spy and navy officer, about a job opportunity in the United Arab Emirates. Due to an ongoing financial dispute, she discovered that he had evaded the police in Dubai by donning a burqa and scuba diving into international seas to avoid capture.

  • The two of them drove across the border to Oman, where they boarded a dinghy and then rode a jet ski to Mr Jaubert’s 100-foot boat, the Nostromo, where they stayed for a few days before returning home.
  • Image from of “Escape from Dubai” 6 Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
  • After that, they were boarded by what seemed to be members of the Indian coastguard off the coast of Goa.
  • The witness, Ms Jauhiainen, described how she witnessed her companion being carried away “while screaming for her life.” In the following weeks, she has not been seen in public and her Instagram account has been deactivated.
  • During a family vacation on their Surrey estate in July 2000, Latifa’s older sister Shamsa manages to go away.
  • She is then taken back to Dubai on a private jet, which she did not pay for.
  • She intends to cross the border between the United Arab Emirates and Oman, but she is apprehended and returned to Dubai.

The year is 2010, and Latifa meets fitness teacher Tiina Jauhiainen, with whom she becomes fast friends.

Latifa has made the decision to leave Dubai in February 2018.

They want to go to India, from where Latifa hopes to get entry into the United States and file a claim for political asylum in the country.

Latifa is hauled from the boat by the ropes and chains.

They are made available to the public two weeks later.

Princess Haya, the second “official wife” of Sheikh Mohammed, has fled Dubai for the United Kingdom in April 2019.

February 2021: Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson expresses grave concern over Latifa.

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Princess Latifa of Dubai has accused her father of holding her prisoner – here’s why

In a video posted with the BBC, Princess Latifa accused her father of treating her as a prisoner (BBC) Following the broadcast of video recordings to the BBC, Princess Latifa Al Maktoum of Dubai has accused her father of holding her “hostage.” When Sheikh Mohammed’s daughter sought to quit the emirate in 2018, she alleges that commandos drugged her and forced her to confess.

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She sent covert communications to pals, in which she expressed her dissatisfaction with her detention. According to the BBC, these communications have subsequently been halted, and friends have called on the United Nations to intercede in the matter. According to former UN envoy Mary Robinson, who is “very concerned” about Latifa’s plight, the subject should be thoroughly investigated. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who owns 63,000 acres of property in the Scottish highlands, is a well-known figure in the region.

  1. According to a BBC Panorama investigation, the secret messages were secretly captured over a period of many months.
  2. In the next moments, she claimed to have been tranquilised, losing consciousness and not regaining consciousness until she returned to Dubai.
  3. It was her who explained: “I’m a captive, and this house has been turned into a jail.” “All of the windows are barred shut, and I am unable to open any of them.” “There are five police officers outside and two police officers inside the home,” she says.
  4. Princess Latifa attempted to flee Dubai for the first time when she was sixteen years old.
  5. She is now 35 years old.
  6. In the 24th of February, Latifa and Jauhiainen embarked on an inflatable boat to international seas, where they were greeted by Jaubert, who was sailing under the flag of the United States.
  7. Latifa was escorted back to her home in Dubai.
  8. What is the identity of Princess Latifa, and why did she attempt to flee?
  9. She was born in the United Arab Emirates.
  10. She attempted to flee the United Arab Emirates for the first time when she was 16 years old, attempting to cross the border between the UAE and Oman.

Several months before her failed escape attempt in 2018, Latifa charged her father with cruelty of her and her sister Shamsa, as well as other severe allegations. How can I view a documentary on her incarceration? Viewers may watch the documentary in its entirety on the BBC iPlayer.

“You’re Essentially a Prisoner”: Why Do Dubai’s Princesses Keep Trying to Escape?

Shiekh Mohammed and Princess Haya exchanged wedding vows in the year 2004. Image courtesy of the Royal Palace/Getty Images. t he narrative of Sheik Mohammed and Haya’s separation is a tortuous one, full of surprises at every turn and the source of so many tales that it was difficult to keep them all straight in my head. The Persian Gulf governments are now engaged in an information warfare campaign against Qatar; in particular, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are pitted against the country, and conspiracy theories exist in a variety of fields.

  • (By the way, it has been suggested that the Saudis’ jealously over Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup played a role in their decision to embargo the nation.) There have also been a slew of theories surrounding Haya’s demise that have surfaced.
  • However, some issues, such as Mohammed’s wives and daughters, may not be appropriate for discussion in the public square.
  • Haya’s departure from Dubai has been closely studied in secret among Arabian academics, royal watchers, and journalists in the West, and each action has been closely watched.
  • When it comes to running his state and keeping his children from humiliating themselves, the sheik may choose to do it in a harsh and sometimes cruel manner.

(There are around 4,000 in Washington, D.C.) He should have requested one of his ministers to monitor his wife’s internet presence and even withdraw her credentials to fly on their (many) private jet if he had any suspicion that something was wrong in their marriage with Haya, wouldn’t you think?

“O you who broke the most precious of trust / My grief exposed your game,” Sheik Mohammed wrote in a poem about an unknown woman that he posted on the internet around the same time that Haya went missing: “My sorrow revealed your game.” As he added, “You let the reins of your horse to get slack.” At an equestrian competition in Spain, H aya and SheikMohammed experienced their first romantic spark, which culminated in their marriage in 2004.

In the words of a close friend of Haya, “I was startled that she was marrying someone who was so Arab, because I had always assumed she’d end up with an English landlord.” “However, she was head over heels in love with Sheik Mo—madly in love with him.” Unlike Mo, Haya was more quirky and down-to-earth; she didn’t mind making jokes about herself, such as when her father gave her a horse, which she called Scandal.

During the conversation, she stated that she’d informed him that every princess had a scandal, and if she wanted hers “to arrive with four legs rather of two,” she’d told him that he’d best go out and purchase it for her.

The United Arab Emirates is now allegedly one of the country’s top investors, despite the fact that the country is oil-poor.

When compared to the British model, Jordan’s royal family is more like the former: princes and princesses have patronage, run organizations, and are highly visible (for example, the American-born Queen Noor, who became Haya’s stepmother after her mother, Queen Alia, died in a helicopter crash when Haya was a toddler, comes to mind).

  • After marrying his first wife, Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma al-Maktoum, in a five-day wedding that included 100 camel races in the 1970s, Sheik Mohammed has seldom, if ever, appeared in a photograph that has been viewed by the public throughout their 40 years of marriage.
  • Despite the fact that women are increasingly taking on leadership roles in business and government in Dubai, the Emiratis uphold the legislation of male guardianship, which implies that husbands and fathers have complete authority over the lives of their wives and daughters.
  • For Haya, perhaps the most significant aspect of the law is that any woman who divorces her Emirati husband and then remarries must relinquish full custody of her children to her first husband.
  • The first stated that she left Dubai at the age of 18 for Europe, where she was granted refuge and hopes to pursue a career as an engineer.
  • “Honor is important in the Arab community, and family honor resides within the girl—her virginity is the family’s honor,” she explains.

She said she fled the United Arab Emirates in her late twenties because she was “treated as if I was a kid, regardless of my age.” “Anyone who comes from the high-up royal level that I come from is prohibited from doing anything culturally offensive that might offend the general people,” she continues.

“I left an email in my sister’s inbox expressing everything: I despised the nation, the injustice, the lack of freedom, and the Emirati men,” she told me.

As she explains, “my family has decided to conceal the fact that I left them due to our differences, and instead they have been fabricating stories about me—studying in London, continuing my higher education, living with a maid in an apartment (all paid for by my parents)—when people inquire about my whereabouts.” This lady has asked her mother for forgiveness more recently, after reflecting on her previous deeds.

Her mother replied by saying that she believed her daughter had subjected the family to “unforgettable humiliation, disgrace, and dishonor,” and that the family had suffered as a result.

Princess Latifa’s attempt to escape Dubai was thwarted. Here’s what we know about the FBI’s role

Shiekh Mohammed and Princess Haya exchanged wedding vows in 2004, and they have three children together. The image is courtesy of the Royal Palace/Getty Images The narrative of Sheik Mohammed and Haya’s separation is a long one, full of surprising twists and turns, and the source of so many stories that it was difficult to keep them straight in my head. A campaign of information warfare is under underway between the Persian Gulf states, with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia opposed against Qatar, and conspiracy theories exist in a wide range of fields and industries.

It has been suggested that the Saudis’ jealously over Qatar being awarded the 2022 World Cup was a contributing factor to the country’s embargo.

Dubai is the bright symbol of merchant capitalism, if not democracy, in the Gulf, with relatively open borders, a big expat community, and a slew of extravagant real estate developments, including the world’s tallest building and the world’s largest synchronized fountain system, among other things.

As for gossip and conspiracies, the sheik has expressed his displeasure with them, saying, “It is stated that human scorpions reside on the earth in the shape of gossipers and conspirators, who torment souls, damage relationships, and corrupt the spirit of communities and teams.” A request for an interview with Sheik Mohammed and Haya was not returned by Vanity Fair.

  1. Suppose Haya’s escape has anything to do with Sheik Mohammed’s daughter Latifa leaving on the yacht; is it conceivable that the successors of the sheik will be affected by the downside of his monarchical prerogative, as it has been so frequently in the past?
  2. Several people have also questioned why Sheik Mohammed, who is well-known for keeping strict eyes on his inhabitants, would have enabled Haya to go when Dubai has the most monitoring of any city on the planet, with 35,000 cameras placed on street corners, according to some reports.
  3. He would have instructed one of his ministers to monitor his wife’s internet footprint and even withdraw her credentials to fly on their (many) private jet if he had any clue that something was wrong in their marriage with Haya, wouldn’t he?
  4. “O you who violated the most precious of trust / My anguish disclosed your game,” Sheik Mohammed wrote in a poem about an unknown lady that he posted online about the same time that Haya went missing.
  5. H aya and SheikMohammed met at an equestrian competition in Spain, and they were married in the following year.
  6. Mo enjoyed pomp and grandeur, whereas Haya was more quirkier more down-to-earth; she didn’t mind cracking jokes at her own expense, as she did when her father gave her a horse, whom she called Scandal.
  7. Despite the fact that Haya and Mohammed’s wedding was not pre-arranged, Jordan was in financial hardship prior to their union.
  8. However, despite the fact that Haya was brought up in Jordan as the beloved daughter of a king, the sheik’s family in Dubai operated under a totally different form of monarchy.
  9. The monarchy in Dubai, on the other hand, is mostly closed and private.
  10. In all, they are the parents of 12 children.

Working women must have their husbands’ consent; they must have a legitimate reason for refusing to have sexual relations with their partners; and any unmarried woman, Emirati or expat, who appears at a hospital in Dubai while pregnant, including one who is experiencing a miscarriage, may be arrested.

  • For fear of reprisal from the government, I spoke with two Emirati women who asked that their names not be used.
  • In Dubai malls, she adds, “you can see a free lady without the hijab, but you don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors.” She also says that after puberty, she was not permitted to leave her house without permission and the presence of a legal guardian.
  • As a result, the family’s reputation has been tarnished as well.
  • When she was in her late 20s, she said that “regardless of my age, I was treated like a child” in the United Arab Emirates.
  • The woman fled to England after she became involved in an extramarital affair with a British man.

In order to keep the truth that I left them hidden because of our disagreements, my family has been fabricating stories about me—studying in London, completing my further education, living with a maid in an apartment (all paid for by my parents) when people inquire about my whereabouts,” she explains.

This woman has lately asked her mother for forgiveness after reflecting on her conduct. Upon hearing the news, the girl’s mother expressed her disappointment, saying that her daughter had brought the family “unforgettable humiliation, disgrace, and dishonor.”

  • On March 4, 2018, Princess Latifa, then 32, had been at sea for eight days when the yacht Nostromo, which was registered in the United States and on which she was traveling, was raided by armed individuals. They tied her wrists together and dragged her away from the boat. They had been summoned by the princess’s father, the billionaire prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai
  • They had been sent by the princess’s father, the billionaire prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai According to USA TODAY, which pieced together the harrowing events through witness interviews, video, audio, and other data, the FBI assisted in the search for the princess after receiving an urgent request from Sheikh Mohammed’s office. According to sources speaking to USA TODAY, the FBI was misinformed about her circumstances while on board the yacht. As reported by a number of people familiar with the FBI’s involvement in this highly sensitive operation, Dubai’s government claimed that the princess had been kidnapped and that it required immediate assistance to secure her release. Because of this, FBI agents were able to obtain geolocation data from the yacht’s internet service provider and provide it to Dubai authorities. Her father, Sheikh Mohammed, did not respond to requests for comment through legal counsel, but he has maintained in court records that he was the one who saved his daughter. He has categorically denied any allegations of mistreatment against her. The FBI, the White House, and the Department of State all declined to comment on the matter.
  • More information on Princess Latifa may be found here: Sheikha Latifa of Dubai claims she is being held as a ‘hostage’ in a new video. Princess Latifa: “I’m a princess,” she says. A UK court has ruled that the king of Dubai abducted and imprisoned his royal daughters. Dubai: According to reports, Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein, the wife of the ruler of Dubai, is hiding in London.

Everything you need to know about Dubai’s fleeing princesses

Despite a failed escape attempt in 2018, Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum has re-emerged in a smuggled video released by a third party. The princess is the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and a millionaire businessman from the United Arab Emirates. Princess Latifa’s escape took seven years to organize, with the assistance of a Finnish dance teacher and a former French spy, but it was foiled in less than a week after it was announced. After boarding a boat intended to transport her away from the United Arab Emirates, a commando raid intercepted the vessel, where she was allegedly tied and tranquilised before being forced to return to the UAE.

  • She said in a leaked video that she was invited to the lunch by Princess Haya, one of Sheikh Al Maktoum’s wives, and that she did so without being aware of who Robinson was at the time.
  • Robinson indicated at the time that she believed the Princess was suffering from mental health issues, but she subsequently stated that she felt duped when photographs of the private encounter were released online.
  • The Princess said that Sheikha Latifa was not the only one who attempted to run, claiming that at least one other sister had also attempted to flee and had been punished severely for doing so.
  • Ribs that have been broken What is it that causes so many Emirati female royals to attempt to flee, and what motivates them to do so?
  • Princess Latifa’s failed effort to flee was followed by Princess Haya’s successful departure from the country to England.
  • Princess Randa Al-Banna, of Lebanese descent and ex-wife of Dubai’s first ruler, shares the tragic facts of her divorce, as well as the anguish her only child has through throughout her life.
  • I have no idea what she looks like.

She attempted to contact her daughter on a number of occasions.

However, a man wielding a baseball bat attacked me days before my scheduled departure, leaving me with a long wound that required 27 stitches and breaking four of my ribs.

“I was terrified, so I approached him and said, “What have you done?” “Are you insane?” he is said to have said.

They got married in a short period of time after a brief romance.

a bloody conflict Princess Haya, who escaped from Dubai to London with her two children in July 2019, would go on to obtain her divorce from the High Court of Justice in London, where she currently resides.

The court case would yield some shocking disclosures, including the fact that Sheikh Mohammed had ordered the kidnapping of another daughter, Princess Shamsa, from the streets of Cambridge, United Kingdom, and transfer her to Dubai in 2000, according to reports.

Also testifying was Princess Haya, who stated that Princess Latifa was forcefully returned to her homeland in 2002 and 2018.

Following their return, they were both placed under house arrest.

Following Princess Latifa’s most recent attempt to flee, Sheikh Mohammed issued a statement in which he portrayed Herve Joubert, a self-proclaimed former French agent, as a “convicted criminal” who was attempting to abduct the princess in exchange for a $100 million ransom.

Following the release of Princess Latifa’s most recent video, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that it will interrogate the UAE about her health.

Why Are Arab Princesses Running Away From Home?

Princess Haya, the estranged wife of Dubai’s ruler and half-sister of the Jordanian monarch, requested an order of protection in a London court this week, claiming that she was threatened by her husband. A few months ago, Princess Haya fled the United Arab Emirates to avoid her husband’s harassment and violence. She has now petitioned the court for custody of her two children, who were with her when she fled; to prevent one of her children from being forced into an arranged marriage; and to protect her from further violence or harassment.

And what happens in her case might create a precedent for how the West treats other people who are on the run in the future, as well.

According to Ola Salem, a British-Egyptian journalist, Princess Haya’s situation is particularly noteworthy since she has “long been the most publicly prominent and generally recognized of the six wives of Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.” It is true that “he was frequently seen by her husband’s side at regional and international occasions, receiving dignitaries and making speeches—all of which were exceedingly rare for a Persian Gulf ruler’s wife.” Princess Haya, the estranged wife of Dubai’s ruler and half-sister of the Jordanian monarch, requested an order of protection in a London court this week, claiming that she was threatened by her husband.

A few months ago, Princess Haya fled the United Arab Emirates to avoid her husband’s harassment and violence.

The princess is a member of a recent wave of affluent Arab women who have fled their homes and palaces to seek refuge in other countries.

As the narrative progresses, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite books on Princess Haya and other ladies like her.

Women in Dubai are often disadvantaged by a discriminatory culture and legal system, according to Salem, who writes that the media firestorm highlights “a striking contrast between Dubai’s image as a desirable location for international business and its reality as a place where women are often disadvantaged by a discriminatory culture and legal system.” It isn’t just Princess Haya who has been attracting the attention of the media in recent months.

  • Several other royals have also departed the Arab world, including Sheikha Latifa, a daughter of Sheikh Mohammed, who left a video message describing her hardship before boarding a boat owned by the French government on Friday.
  • “The majority of women in the Arab world are socially disadvantaged.
  • “However, the Arab world’s women of privilege—whether they are members of royalty or members of politically connected families—have it the worst of all in many aspects,” writes the author.
  • “They have the resources to live a different lifestyle and have had extensive contact with ladies from various cultures.” Salem says that “rampant hypocrisy” is a factor in making things worse.
  • In the case of Princess Latifa, for example, she comes from a family that includes one of the most open Arab monarchs of the Persian Gulf.
  • This is due to the fact that Sheikh Mohammed’s domestic authority is likewise dependent on his people’ perception of him as sticking to traditional values.” Of course, royal families are not the only ones that are subjected to such demands.

“They were able to get passports in Riyadh without the knowledge of their families, purchase aircraft tickets, and fly from the Saudi capital to Istanbul without being apprehended.” They smashed their SIM cards on April 1 at the Riyadh International Airport in order to prevent being tracked.” Their ultimate objective, according to Kasinof, was to finally reach Georgia, where Saudi residents are not required to get visas.

It is difficult to estimate how many more women are like them, but Kasinof points out that “the number of asylum-seekers from has quadrupled between 2012 and 2017, reaching 800 instances throughout the world.” And they are creating questions for judicial systems all across the globe about whether domestic abuse qualifies someone for asylum and if they should be granted refuge.

Following the 2014 decision in a landmark case involving a Guatemalan woman who was awarded refugee status in the United States after escaping her husband’s violent attacks, domestic violence has become an acceptable condition for obtaining refugee status in the United States.

According to the journalist Elizabeth Dickinson, in Saudi Arabia, where women have gained the right to drive, are permitted to access government services without a guardian’s permission, and are permitted to enter some mixed-gender spaces in recent years, the government has also launched a harsh crackdown on conservative forces, prompting a backlash.

Princess Latifa: The inside story of Dubai royal who fled from her billionaire father

This article was initially published in March 2020, however it has been updated. We’re republishing it today following the release of footage in which Princess Latifa claims she has been detained against her will by her family in a guarded “villa jail,” according to the Daily Mail. When we got into the car on the day of our escape, I turned to Latifa and remarked, ‘We’re like Thelma and Louise,’ recalls Tiina Jauhiainen, a slight grin on her face as she recalls the bittersweet recollection of the day.

No!

They do not have a joyful finish to their narrative.” In February 2018, Princess Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, attempted to flee her life as a Dubai princess with the assistance of her best friend Tiina, which occurred two years ago today.

  • He is currently on the run.
  • Escape had been planned for seven years, and it comprised driving into Oman and boarding a boat to cross into international seas, where she would then sail to Sri Lanka, from where she wanted to travel to the United States and apply for political asylum.
  • ‘At times, the days aboard the boat seemed to drag on for an eternity.
  • Although escaping aboard a boat may seem glamourous, it was quite the reverse.
  • As Tiina remembers, ‘Latifa saw right away that they were targeting her and us.
  • We were terrified and clung to one other for dear life.
  • Photograph courtesy of Getty Images A cloud of smoke began to fill the cabin – They were driven onto the upper deck, where these were confronted by six commandos armed with machine guns, as Tiina relates.

We were in complete darkness, with just the red lights of the laser sights shining on different portions of our bodies.’ I was shoved to the ground, where I collapsed in a pool of blood.

You must remain still, else you will be shot.

That was the final time I saw Latifa before she passed away.

The entire event seemed completely surreal.

They threatened to shoot me in the head if I said anything.

‘I couldn’t comprehend what had happened.’ She was sent to a national security jail with Jaubert, where she was held in solitary confinement for many weeks.

I was held captive in a cell that was very cold and had fluorescent lights turned on all the time.

‘It was a form of mental torment.

They attempted to coerce me into making a fake confession by claiming that I had attempted to deceive Latifa into leaving.

‘If you are viewing this video,’ says the beginning of the moving clip, which Tiina assisted her in creating and which has now been viewed by more than four million people.

Following that, she goes on to relate what happened to her during her prior escape attempt, and she describes her father as ‘the most horrible person I have ever encountered.’ There has been no official response to the video, with the exception of a brief statement from her family, which was published in December 2018.

  • Sheikh Mohammed, who is 70 years old, is widely regarded with transforming Dubai into the cosmopolitan, fashionable metropolis that it has become today.
  • He is also a personal acquaintance of the Queen.
  • He has managed to maintain a regular posting schedule on Instagram, where he has 4.9 million followers, since taking over as ruler of Dubai in 2006.
  • In November 2010, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum hosted the Queen of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi.

Activist group Human Rights Watch has criticized the UAE for being ‘hypocritical,’ and has stated that any attempt to portray the government as accepting of minorities is “laughable.” In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile cases of people, including British citizen Matthew Hedges, being detained and allegedly mistreated by the country’s security services, leading to his release.

  1. The country’s regulations are also among the most stringent in the world: persons can be jailed for free speech-related offenses, and sodomy is punishable by a 10-year prison term.
  2. Rape victims are also frequently shunned for speaking out about their ordeal.
  3. Each of the Sheikh’s wives lives in a separate house, and they are not encouraged to mingle with one another or interact with the Sheikh.
  4. According to Tiina, many people believe she is “simply a pampered princess.” ‘However, she isn’t.
  5. Some claim she had easy access to money and was able to participate in a variety of activities, including skydiving, which she enjoyed.
  6. She didn’t want to be confined to her house.
  7. She referred to it as a home, and she despised it.

Due to her mother’s strict religious beliefs, anything like dancing or listening to music was considered haram (forbidden).

Originally from Finland, where her parents own a flower shop, she attended university in London before relocating to Dubai in 2001 to pursue her career.

The two gradually became friends as they learned to skydive together.

‘It offered her a sense of freedom, as well as adrenaline, and it gave her a reason to get out of bed in the morning,’ explains her mother.

It’s time to get to work.

To go on a journey.

I wanted to take her to Nepal, which is one of my favorite countries, and she was anxious to go to Hawaii.

However, it took years before she was able to really trust me and open up.

The feeling was similar to that of being a prisoner in a golden cage with no freedom.’ Tiina was taken aback when Latifa, now 34, finally recounted her tale with her.

Despite her affluence, she hasn’t left the nation in more than two decades, and she claims she isn’t even permitted to visit her friends’ homes in the country.

Mary Robinson, the former Irish president, and Sheika Latifa were spotted together in December 2018.

However, after being apprehended at the border, she was imprisoned for three and a half years, during which time she claims she was subjected to abuse.

There were no new clothes, toothbrush, or anything else for her to use to wash with.’ She is even more traumatized by her older sister’s story.

After being missing for two months, she was discovered in Cambridgeshire and flown back to Dubai.

She was imprisoned for eight years following her escape from Dubai, according to Tiina.

Latifa, on the other hand, was always eager to assist her.

In the following year, a third princess entered the picture in a case that had garnered international attention.

She has now filed for divorce and is residing in a mansion in London with her children, all while battling for legal custody of her children against the Sheikh at the High Court of Justice.

Princess Haya, in contrast to Princess Latifa, whose Algerian mother is seen as one of the Sheikh’s ‘lower’ wives, has always enjoyed advantages and freedoms that many other women in Dubai do not have access to.

She is also an accomplished Olympic equestrian.

Their union, which took place after her father’s death, was considered to have been a love match, since they became acquainted via their shared passion for horses.

Even though Haya’s court case is being kept under wraps, it is known that she has filed for a forced marriage protection order, which would keep her children from being taken away and forced into marriage in Dubai; she has also filed for a non-molestation order, which would protect her from being physically assaulted or harassed either by a partner, ex-partner, or family member.

  1. Latifa appears to be perplexed and appears to be unaware that photographs are being taken of her.
  2. However, this is no longer the case.
  3. If Haya discusses her reasons for leaving, she will have more leverage to assist Latifa in her situation.’ ‘We’ve spent a significant amount of time assisting Haya and her legal team,’ says David Haigh, a human-rights lawyer who worked with Tiina to launch the FreeLatifa campaign.
  4. This is a significant step forward for us.
  5. Tiina Jauhiainen is now working to secure Latifa’s release.
  6. She has been staying with friends in south London, where she has been unable to find a permanent work, while her life has been consumed by her efforts to secure Latifa’s liberation.
  7. ‘There isn’t anything occurring.
  8. It has absolutely transformed my life.
  9. But it’s getting to the point where I have to start thinking about myself.’ The family of Latifa has not retaliated against Tiina, but she believes that a large number of her acquaintances in Dubai were arrested and interrogated during the period in which she was incarcerated.
  10. She is now concentrating her efforts on human rights work in order to assist other oppressed women in the Middle East.

As Latifa says in the film, “there is only so much you can do when you’re trapped in a country and trapped by all of these restrictions.” The future is looking bright for me, and I’m feeling like this is the beginning of an adventure; it’s the beginning of me claiming my life, my independence, and the ability to make decisions for myself.

‘Latifa isn’t the only one who is going through difficulties.

She’s one of those ladies, in fact.

And if Latifa as a princess is treated like this, imagine how they’re treated?

I believe it is past time for women to speak up.

In her video, she expresses her want to ensure that her escape attempt did not go in vain, even if it was unsuccessful.

Randa al-Banna, a Lebanese woman who was 16 at the time, met the king of Dubai in Beirut in 1972 when she was barely 16.

However, she ended up leaving him after only a few years.

For the rest of her life, she has remained silent out of fear of the repercussions on herself or the children she would have later on.

Her texts to the Sheikh, pleading with him to free Latifa have reportedly been received and published.

As Haigh puts it, “First it was Shamsa, then it was Latifa, and now it is Randa.” ‘They all have stories that are similar.

And these are the ones we know of. How many more do they have that we don’t know about? The moment has come to go behind the façade, the glitz and glamour of Dubai and to ask the hard questions about what is actually going on.’

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