Detained in Dubai hold press conference in London on the disappearance of Dubai Princess Sheikha Latifa

Detained in Dubai hold press conference in London on the disappearance of Dubai Princess Sheikha Latifa

This afternoon in Central London UK-based NGO Detained in Dubai detailed the dramatic escape attempt of Princess Sheikha Latifa from her father Sheikh bin Rashid al-Maktoum - ruler of Dubai.

This conference was called in response to a story that broke a couple of weeks ago which involved the capture of Sheikha Latifa by Emirati and Indian special forces 30 miles off the coast of India. The crew provided statements at the conference today in-front of the world media.

US citizen and captain of the private yacht that was ambushed in international waters, Hervà Jaubert spoke of how he was beaten, blindfolded and detained by Indian and Emirati special forces before being taken to a secret prison in the UAE.

The crew, Jaubert explained, had been travelling for 6 days on a trip from Oman to India when he suddenly realised that his yacht, which was sailing under the patronage of a US flag, was being followed five naval ships two Emirati, three Indian.

Juabert alleged that a couple of days later Indian special forces raided the yacht and proceeded to detain everyone on board. They were handed over to the Emirati forces and taken to the UAE where they were held in secret detention centres for two weeks before being released. Issuing the threat that Shiekh Mohammed can get you anywhere, Emirati security officials ordered the crew not to engage with the media upon their release.

Princess Latifa, however, remains in an unknown location in the UAE. Juabert claims that the Dubai Princess had contacted him 8 years ago to ask for his assistance in escaping Dubai. Consistently over that time Latifa had spoken of her misery and the oppression she faced living under father’s rule in Dubai, Juabert explained. Likening her life in the UAE to imprisonment, Latifa spoke of her desire for freedom telling Jaubert that she would rather flip burgers in America than be rich in Dubai.

According to Tiina Jauhiaien, who was on board the US yacht, Princess Latifa had pleaded with Indian security forces to shoot her rather than take her back to the UAE. Juahiaien, who is a Finnish citizen and friend of Latifa, explained today that the Dubai Princess had told her the 8 days on the yacht prior to capture had been the only time in her life when she had truly felt free.

Radha Stirling - CEO of Detained in Dubai - said that Latifa case is awful but not shocking, as it is just another example of the UAE’s complete disregard for international law.” She went on to explain that the UAE is the most likely country for UK citizens to be arrested abroad. Stirling said that despite this, the UK government refuses to take concrete measures to sufficiently warn its nationals of the real risks and dangers of travelling to the country.

 

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