The former wife of a Dubai prince has made a desperate plea to the city’s Ruler, claiming she is terrified to leave home amid fears her daughters will be ‘abducted’ by her ex.
Earlier this month, Zeynab Javadli livestreamed what she claimed was an abduction attempt by the girls’ father, Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who she divorced six years ago.
It shows the former Azerbaijani gymnast apparently trapped in a car with her children – all aged under 10 – during a scheduled custody handover at a Dubai child protection centre.
She has told friends that Sheikh Saeed’s staff used cars to block her exit, only backing off when they saw she was livestreaming the confrontation.
The parents’ bitter courtroom battle finally ended last week when a judge granted him custody of their daughters.
But Miss Javadli insists a 2022 legal agreement with his uncle, the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, trumps this and gives her the right to retain custody until the girls are 18.
Now, in a video message released exclusively to the Mail On Sunday, she pleads with Sheikh Mohammed to enforce the deal, claiming she and the girls are ‘under siege and hostages in our home.’
The 76-year-old Ruler, a leading figure in British horseracing and close friend of the late Queen Elizabeth, has provided her with a villa, car and allowance for the children, according to one source close to the case.
Earlier this month, Zeynab Javadli (pictured) livestreamed what she claimed was an abduction attempt by the girls’ father, Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who she divorced six years ago
The former Azerbaijani gymnast is pleading for help from the ruler of Dubai to retain custody of her daughters
‘In return, she ensured they saw their father regularly – even when this meant having to do four-hour round trips,’ he said.
‘The agreement worked well for three years. But in September Sheikh Saeed refused to hand them back. He effectively abducted them for 40 days.
‘When Zeynab was finally granted a three-hour visit at a child protection centre on November 8th the girls ran to her pleading to be taken away.
‘Saeed’s staff tried to block her car but she livestreamed what was happening and escaped with them. The ruling family don’t like bad publicity.’
The source added: ‘Throughout this long battle Zeynab could have been arrested at any time for defying court orders.
‘But the Dubai Police have refused to do that because they’re fully aware of her agreement with the Ruler.’
Court papers released with last week’s custody judgement set out 34-year-old Miss Javadli’s case against Sheikh Saeed, a 49-year-old businessman and former Olympic clay shooter who is believed to have a valuable UK property portfolio.
Allegations include causing their daughters distress and harm by leaving them without supervision, using inappropriate language, depriving them of sleep, and driving recklessly.
Now, in a video message released exclusively to the Mail On Sunday, Ms Javadli is asking the ruler of Dubai to ensure a 2022 legal agreement over custody of her children is adhered to
Zeynab Javadli and Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum with their eldest daughter Sana, pictured in 2018
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to whom Ms Javadli’s video is addressed, is pictured arriving at Royal Ascot on June 20, 2019
For his part, Sheikh Saeed, says she has refused to obey previous court orders and wants to keep the children away from him to ‘instil Western behaviour that does not befit Muslims, citizens of the UAE, and members of the Ruling Family in particular.’
He fears ‘she may smuggle them to a location unknown to him and not return them to him again.’
In her video plea to Sheikh Mohammed, Miss Javadli says: ‘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.’
The case is the latest in a string of sensational scandals involving princesses of the Dubai ruling family.
They include Sheikh Mohammed’s ex-wife, Princess Haya, who fled the United Arab Emirates six years ago claiming she feared for her life. She later won custody of their two daughters at a High Court hearing in London.
In 2021 one of Sheikh Mohammed’s daughters, Princess Latifa, posted disturbing videos in which she claimed to have been drugged and held captive by her father in a ‘villa jail’ after attempting to flee the United Arab Emirates on a boat.
The following year she issued a statement saying she was now ‘living as she wishes.’
Miss Javadli’s British lawyer David Haigh said the 2022 custody agreement with Sheikh Mohammed was legally watertight.
‘It was a clear, effective agreement which all parties observed for three years,’ he said.
‘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.’
The Mail On Sunday has contacted Sheikh Saeed’s lawyer and Dubai officials familiar with the case for comment.
