In brief
Zeynab Javadli, a former Azerbaijani international gymnast married to Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum, vanished after her last call to lawyer David Haigh on Tuesday. Her family reported an empty home with changed locks; she has three young daughters and is facing a custody battle that has escalated to accusations of kidnapping and electronic‑crime charges in the UAE. Her lawyer echoes the chilling parallels to Princess Latifa’s 2018 escape attempt and calls for international attention to confirm Javadli’s safety. No response has yet come from UAE officials or police.
On Tuesday, British human‑rights lawyer David Haigh lost contact with Zeynab Javadli, the former wife of Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is a nephew of the ruler of Dubai. Javadli’s home was found empty, the locks changed, and her three young children had not been seen or heard from since.
Javadli, a former international gymnast for Azerbaijan, divorced the Sheikh in 2019. Her life has been entangled in a bitter custody dispute – the court has heard accusations from the Sheikh’s lawyers that she failed to send her daughters to school, used unsuitable accommodation, and put the youngest at risk. In October 2023, the Sheikh filed a police complaint accusing Javadli of kidnapping the children, a claim that she denies.
The latest legal threat comes after Javadli livestreamed a confrontation in 2023, which has made her a target for potential e‑crime charges by UAE authorities. In the livestream, she said, "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."
Haigh says the situation mirrors the 2018 ordeal of Princess Latifa, a daughter of Dubai’s ruler, whose escape attempt was thwarted by the authorities. He urges the international community to demand the safety and whereabouts of Javadli and her children.
Javadli’s mother, who had arrived in Dubai to visit, entered what she thought was her daughter’s house and found it abandoned. The mother reported the empty home to Dubai police and the Azerbaijani consulate. No concrete information has yet emerged from UAE officials. The UK’s consular offices have declined to comment, and the Dubai police remain silent.
The case has now entered a new phase, with a potential arrest looming for Javadli and her four‑year‑old and nine‑year‑old daughters. International call‑outs for assurance of safety have met little response. Haigh continues to advocate for urgent confirmation of Javadli’s whereabouts, hoping to prevent further harm.
The situation remains unresolved and has attracted worldwide attention to the protective mechanisms—or lack thereof—for women entangled in high‑profile legal disputes in the Gulf. As the case unfolds, observers look to UAE officials to provide transparency and accountability for a case that may set a precedent for future protective measures in the region.
