DUBAI – Human Rights Watch on Saturday urged Dubai authorities to revealthe whereabouts of a princess and daughter of the ruler, saying her casecould constitute “enforced disappearance”.
In a March video, 32-year-old Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin RashidAl-Maktoum announced she was fleeing the emirate because of mistreatmentand restrictions imposed by her family.
She said she was the daughter of Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoumand an Algerian mother, Horriya Ahmed, and that she had tried to escape inprevious years.
But the following month a source close to the Dubai government said therunaway princess had been returned to the emirate.
“What I can confirm is they took her and she was brought back,” theanonymous source told AFP by phone on April 17.
In a statement on Saturday HRW said Dubai authorities must “reveal” herwhereabouts and “clarify her legal status”.
“Failure to disclose the whereabouts and status of the princess couldqualify as an enforced disappearance, given the evidence suggesting thatshe was last seen as UAE authorities were detaining her,” the US-basedrights group said.
It cited a witness saying authorities in the United Arab Emirates had“intercepted Sheikha Latifa on March 4, 2018, as she tried to flee by seato a third country, and returned her to the UAE”.
“Sheikha Latifa, who told friends that she wished to flee restrictionsimposed by her family, has not been seen or heard from for two months,” itsaid.
That raised “serious concerns about her safety and well-being, two friendssaid,” HRW added.
“UAE authorities should immediately reveal the whereabouts of SheikhaLatifa, confirm her status, and allow her contact with the outside world,”said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW’s Middle East director on Saturday.
“If she is detained she needs to be given the rights all detainees shouldhave, including being taken before an independent judge.”
Latifa’s cause has been taken up by a UK-based group called Detained inDubai.
The group said Latifa tried to flee Dubai by ship, but the vessel wasintercepted on March 4 less than 80 kilometres (50 miles) off the coast ofIndia.
It said a Finnish woman and friend of the princess was among foreigners onboard.
The source close to the Dubai government said last month that the Finnishwoman and two French men, one with dual US citizenship, participated in theescape attempt and were wanted in Dubai on previous charges.
“It is a domestic issue that transformed into a soap opera that transformedinto a rampaging scheme to tarnish the reputation of Dubai and SheikhMohammed,” the source said.