The former wife of a Dubai prince has issued a desperate plea to the city's ruler, claiming she lives in constant fear that her daughters will be abducted by her ex-husband in an escalating custody battle that has drawn international attention.
Livestreamed Confrontation Sparks Crisis
Earlier this month, Zeynab Javadli, a former Azerbaijani gymnast, livestreamed what she described as an attempted abduction by the girls' father, Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The dramatic footage shows the 34-year-old mother apparently trapped in a car with her three daughters, all aged under ten, during what should have been a routine custody handover at a Dubai child protection centre.
According to friends who have spoken with Ms Javadli, staff working for Sheikh Saeed used vehicles to block her exit from the facility. They reportedly only retreated when they realised she was broadcasting the confrontation live to the world.
Legal Battle Reaches Breaking Point
The parents' bitter courtroom conflict reached a critical juncture last week when a judge granted Sheikh Saeed full custody of their daughters. However, Ms Javadli maintains that a 2022 legal agreement made with his uncle, the Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, supersedes this recent ruling and grants her custody rights until the children turn 18.
In an exclusive video message obtained by the Mail On Sunday, the distressed mother appeals directly to Sheikh Mohammed, stating she and her daughters feel like 'under siege and hostages in our home'. She describes living in constant terror to leave their residence amid fears the girls could be taken at any moment.
Royal Protection and Broken Agreements
According to sources familiar with the case, the 76-year-old Ruler, well-known in British horseracing circles and a close friend of the late Queen Elizabeth, has provided Ms Javadli with a villa, car and financial allowance for the children's upkeep.
'In return, she ensured they saw their father regularly - even when this meant having to do four-hour round trips,' revealed one source close to the matter. 'The agreement worked well for three years. But in September Sheikh Saeed refused to hand them back. He effectively abducted them for 40 days.'
The situation reached another crisis point on November 8th when, during a scheduled three-hour visit at a child protection centre, the girls reportedly ran to their mother pleading to be taken away. The subsequent confrontation was livestreamed as Ms Javadli managed to escape with her children.
Allegations and Counter-Claims
Court documents released alongside last week's custody judgement outline Ms Javadli's case against 49-year-old Sheikh Saeed, a businessman and former Olympic clay shooter believed to possess valuable UK property holdings.
The allegations presented are serious and extensive, including claims that Sheikh Saeed:
- Caused the children distress and harm by leaving them unsupervised
- Used inappropriate language around the young girls
- Deprived them of adequate sleep
- Engaged in reckless driving with them present
For his part, Sheikh Saeed contends that Ms Javadli has repeatedly disobeyed court orders and seeks to distance the children from their father to 'instil Western behaviour that does not befit Muslims, citizens of the UAE, and members of the Ruling Family in particular'. He expresses concern that 'she may smuggle them to a location unknown to him and not return them'.
Pattern of Royal Family Controversies
This case represents the latest in a series of high-profile scandals involving women connected to Dubai's ruling family. In recent years, Sheikh Mohammed's ex-wife Princess Haya fled the United Arab Emirates, claiming she feared for her life, and subsequently won custody of their two daughters through London's High Court.
Similarly, in 2021, one of Sheikh Mohammed's daughters, Princess Latifa, released disturbing videos alleging she had been drugged and held captive in a 'villa jail' after attempting to escape the UAE. She later issued a statement saying she was 'living as she wishes'.
Ms Javadli's British lawyer, David Haigh, maintains that the 2022 custody agreement with Sheikh Mohammed remains legally binding. 'It was a clear, effective agreement which all parties observed for three years,' he stated. 'To suggest these girls, who have lived with their mother virtually all their lives, should now be ordered to live with their father, a complete stranger, is patently absurd.'
In her emotional video appeal, Ms Javadli makes one final desperate request: 'I am beyond desperate and frightened for the safety of my children. I just want my girls to have a safe, healthy, happy, family life with their mother. Please your Highness, help me and my children. Bring an end to this nightmare. You are the only one who can help us in Dubai.'
