The UN human rights body is investigating recently released videos, in which a daughter of the Dubai leader claims that she will be held “hostage” – while the United Kingdom demanded on Wednesday the proof that she is still alive.
Sheikha Latifa, 35-year-old Mohammed Al Maktoum, used a phone that was smuggled into his “villa prison” to ask for help in messages sent to the BBC after its supporters lost contact about six months.
“I am a hostage … I am worried about my safety and my life,” Latifa whispered, considered one of the approximately 30 children that Dubai sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has with many women.
“I don’t know if I will survive this situation,” she said in one of the BBC’s “Panorama” videos on Tuesday night.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has said it will “pick up on these new developments in the United Arab Emirates”, where Sheikh Mohammed, 71, is prime minister and vice president.
“Other parts of the UN human rights system with relevant mandates may also become involved once they have analyzed the new material or received specific allegations,” Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the BBC, told the BBC.
Marcus Essabri, one of Latifa’s cousins, who lives in England, told the BBC that the videos stopped about six months ago and that there has been no word from Latifa since.
“I’m afraid they caught her on the phone and now I’m afraid for her safety,” he said.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called the videos “Very painful” and demanded proof that the princess was still alive.
“It is deeply disturbing and you can see a young woman in deep danger,” Raab told ITV, supporting the UN investigation.
“Given what I’ve just seen, I think people would only want to see on a human level that it’s alive and well.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his administration would monitor the investigation. “It’s something we’re obviously concerned about, but the UN Commission on Human Rights is looking into that,” he said. “I think what we will do is wait and see how it goes. We’ll keep an eye on this. ”
Amnesty International called the videos “terrible” and said it was “extremely concerned about her safety”.
Rodney Dixon, a London-based lawyer for Sheikha Latifa, called on Dubai to “do the right thing”.
“Release the princess,” he said.
A support group, Free Latifa, said the princess has been held hostage by her father since she was captured trying to flee Dubai in 2018.
Before Tuesday, the only time she was seen since being brought back to Dubai was when her family posted photos of her sitting with Mary Robinson, a former Irish president and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in late 2018.
But Robinson told the BBC she was “terribly fooled” to pose for photos and did not ask Latifa about her situation because she was sure she had a mental illness.
Sheikh Mohammed and the royal court in Dubai have said that Latifa is safe in the loving care of her family. The UAE’s Dubai press office did not respond to a request for comment, The Associated Press said.
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