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.
It has come to a head in recent weeks as the children have changed hands between the parents several times, with each accusing the other of kidnapping them.
Ms Javadli also potentially faces arrest for e-crimes - online offences - after she livestreamed the latest showdown.
In going public, she says she realized that she was taking a big risk.
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, she said in a video message to her British lawyer, David Haigh.
Ms Javadli was speaking from her house in Dubai, where she claims that she and her three daughters have essentially once again been isolated since she took them back with her after they'd been with their father for several weeks.
Up until then, Ms Javadli had had effective custody of the children under a deal she says was agreed with the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in 2022. That agreement, she says, guaranteed her custody of the children until they were 18 years old, as well as a house and other assistance, with their schooling paid for by their father.
However, a subsequent court ruling granted custody to Sheikh Saeed. Ms Javadli claims she received assurances that the deal with Dubai's ruler would not be affected, but this situation began to change two months ago.
During a visitation, she claims she was told by police that there was no need to wait to return the children that day, leading to weeks of uncertainty where she was able to see them only briefly.
After reconnecting on November 8, the children were not at the center as expected. When she spotted them, they allegedly called out for her, prompting her to act quickly. Although she knew the risks, including potential arrests, Javadli livestreamed her plea for help while trying to take her children home.
She has remained at home with her daughters since that day, fearing legal repercussions, with the children out of school.
Sheikh Saeed's court filings, however, present a starkly different narrative, accusing Ms Javadli of kidnapping their daughters and violating state laws, further complicating this already intense custody battle.
This case spotlights the complex dynamic faced by women in Dubai, balancing personal freedoms against the backdrop of cultural and legal challenges.
