Another custody battle is rocking the UAE royal family, with allegations of kidnapping and desperate pleas from ex-wife

When his wife fled to the UK with their children, UAE royal and Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was widely reported to have written an emotional private letter to her. Now, another royal marriage and custody dispute from the Arab Emirates is playing out in public. This time, Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a nephew of the Dubai ruler, has filed a complaint after his former wife, Zeynab Javadli, took their three daughters with her. In a video message on Tuesday (Nov 25), Javadli expressed concern that she could be arrested after her ex-husband lodged a criminal complaint in Dubai. The children have lived alternately with each parent at different times, with each accusing the other of refusing lawful handovers. Here is what we know about the royal divorce saga.

Marriage, divorce and the custody dispute

Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum married Zeynab Javadli, an Azerbaijani former international rhythmic gymnast, in 2015. Their marriage ended in 2019. As the custody battle escalated, Javadli appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Council in October 2022, seeking international intervention. She alleged harassment by UAE authorities, intimidation and restrictions on movement.

On 7 October 2022, Javadli released a video alleging that she and her children were afraid for their safety. She claimed to have been staying in a hotel in Dubai rather than a permanent home due to fear of coercive action by UAE authorities.

The royal’s legal team argued that Javadli was unfit to be a parent, stating that the children were not attending school and that their living conditions were unsafe. Rejecting these allegations, Javadli said she had repeatedly provided evidence countering them.

UAE royal custody battle: Escalation and recent developments

Saeed filed a criminal complaint in Dubai, accusing Javadli of kidnapping their daughters. Javadli claimed in a new video message that she risks arrest. She said she took the children with her only out of fear of losing them permanently. If pursued in UAE courts, a kidnapping complaint could lead to severe criminal penalties and the possibility of extradition attempts against Javadli and the children.

Royal custody battle rekindles memories of the ruler’s high-profile case

The case has drawn comparisons to the custody battle between Princess Haya bint Hussein and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. In that case, the UK High Court granted Princess Haya sole parental responsibility to their two children, a daughter and a son. The British court in 2022 found evidence of coercive control, intimidation and surveillance directed at Haya and her legal team, and accepted findings that two of Sheikh Mohammed’s adult daughters had been “abducted” at his direction. At the time, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is widely known for writing poetry, was said to have shared a private emotional letter with his estranged wife early in their separation.