In a deeply distressing development, the former wife of a prominent Dubai prince has been defeated in her legal fight for custody of their three young daughters and now confronts the threat of 'coercive force' from the city's police authorities. Zeynab Javadli, in an exclusive video message shared with the Daily Mail through her British lawyer David Haigh, revealed that Dubai courts have mandated police to seize her children and deliver them to Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Final Appeal Lost and Immediate Threats
Following the loss of a final appeal earlier today, Javadli filmed and live-streamed individuals she identified as male and female police officers stationed outside her residence, allegedly preparing to 'attack.' In her emotional video statement, she described receiving contradictory messages from UAE authorities about bomb alerts urging her to seek shelter, while simultaneously being notified by Dubai Courts to surrender her children or face police breaking into her home, arresting her, and forcibly taking the girls away.
Sobbing visibly, she added, 'This is my day today. Standing [at the window], watching and waiting for them to attack me at any time.' The official court order explicitly states that she must 'return custody of the minors' to Sheikh Saeed, authorising the use of 'coercive force if necessary.'
Conflicting Legal Claims and Allegations
However, Miss Javadli contends that a prior legal agreement with Sheikh Saeed's uncle, Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum—a notable figure in British horseracing—granted her the right to retain custody of the daughters. Court documents released in November last year detailed the 34-year-old former international gymnast's case against Sheikh Saeed, a 49-year-old businessman and former Olympic clay shooter.
She accused him of causing their daughters distress and harm through neglectful supervision, inappropriate language, sleep deprivation, and reckless driving. In response, Sheikh Saeed argued that she disobeyed previous court orders and aimed to distance the children from him to 'instil Western behaviour that does not befit Muslims, citizens of the UAE, and members of the Ruling Family in particular.'
Lawyer's Statement and Broader Context
Mr Haigh emphasised that Sheikh Saeed is 'a powerful nephew of Dubai's ruler' who previously took the daughters and held them against their will for forty days. He stated, 'Zeynab has been held hostage in her own home since last November, too terrified to step outside for fear of arrest under warrants and travel bans. This isn't a safe country offering its residents protection, this is state-backed torment and torture. Dubai has no human rights. The arrests of Westerners for simply reporting the truth about the missile attacks in recent weeks only prove it.'
This case adds to a series of high-profile scandals involving princesses of the Dubai ruling family. Notable instances include Sheikh Mohammed's former wife, Princess Haya, who fled the UAE seven years ago claiming she feared for her life, and in 2021, his daughter Princess Latifa posted videos alleging she was drugged and held captive in a 'villa jail' after attempting to leave the country—though she later issued a statement saying she was 'living as she wishes.'
The Daily Mail has reached out to Sheikh Saeed's lawyer and the Dubai Police for comment, but no response has been received at this time. The situation highlights ongoing concerns about human rights and legal protections in the region, particularly for individuals entangled in disputes with powerful figures.
