Dubai Public Prosecution has confirmed that Zeynab Javadli, the former wife of Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a nephew of Dubai's ruler, is in custody. Authorities say she was detained after a complaint by her ex-husband, who alleges she abducted their three children during a court-approved visit.
Javadli, a former international gymnast from Azerbaijan, had been living under the shadow of arrest for months. The couple divorced in 2019.
Last year, Sheikh Saeed filed a kidnapping complaint after a series of exchanges where each parent accused the other of taking the children. Javadli also faces potential charges for e-crimes in the UAE after livestreaming one of the confrontations.
In a statement, Dubai Public Prosecution said the case is under investigation, with the children's wellbeing as the priority. Javadli's legal advocate, British human rights lawyer David Haigh, is calling for her immediate release and access to legal counsel and her consulate.