Dubai’s Missing Princess : Explained

Sheikh Mohammed has been the ruler of Dubai and Vice-President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since 2006. He is one of the richest head of states in the world and is renowned for his involvement in horse racing. However, it appears as though there’s a much darker story behind the Sheikh’s family life.

The story of Dubai’s missing princess, Sheika Latifa, has been making headlines over the past month and has brought to light the stories of Sheika Shamsa, as well as the Sheikh’s sixth and youngest wife, Sheika Haya, who decided to flee to England with her two children in 2019.

How Did Princess Latifa Try To Escape?

Princess Latifa first attempted but failed to escape in 2002 – she was sixteen years old. They brought her back to Dubai where she lived in solitary confinement for nearly three and a half years.

In 2018, Latifa attempted her escape again. This time, she had the help of her friend and capoeira teacher, Tiina Jauhiainen. Latifa did not have access to her passport so they planned to travel to India and then to the USA where Latifa would claim political asylum.

On 24 February 2018, Latifa and Tiina travelled into international waters and boarded a US flagged yacht. Eight days into their journey, Indian special forces stormed their boat, removing Latifa and taken into custody. She was injected in the arm and manhandled by an Emirati commando. The UAE detained Tiina and the crew in a high security facility for two weeks before they were released.

What Happened Next?

Aware that their plan could go wrong, Latifa recorded a ‘just in case’ video. In March 2018, ‘Detained in Dubai’ released Latifa’s video. ‘Detained in Dubai’ is an anti-UAE pressure group and have represented several businessmen and celebrities in the past, including Latifa’s lawyer, David Haigh.

As the BBC prepared to release a documentary detailing Latifa’s attempted escaped, the Government of Dubai released a statement declaring that Latifa and her sister Shamsa are “adored and cherished” by their family and added how Latifa was “safe in Dubai”.

“The UN has asked the UAE for proof of life. The UN have not seen it – yet.”

Photographs of Latifa with former Head of Human Rights for the UN, Mary Robinson, confirmed this rhetoric. Following the release of the images, Robinson told BBC Radio 4 how Latifa was suffering a “serious medical matter and was in the loving care of her family”.  In her first interview since the photos were released , it is clear that Robinson was “horribly tricked” and is now “deeply worried” for Latifa’s safety.

At the beginning of 2019, Tiina managed to get a phone to Latifa. The princess began recording videos detailing the international news of the day and her imprisonment, maintaining daily contact with Tiina, David Haigh, and Marcus Essabri. They lost contact with Latifa however, mid-2020.

Fearing what may have happened to Latifa, they released her videos. On 16 February, BBC Panoramareleased some of her videos and enabled Tiina, Haigh, Essabri, and Mary Robinson to deliver Latifa’s story.

The UN has asked the UAE for proof of life. The UN have not seen it – yet.

Who Is Sheikha Shamsa And What Happened To Her?

Sheikha Shamsa is the older sister of Latifa. In 2000, Shamsa attempted to escape from the Sheikh’s Surrey estate – this also failed. They discovered her whereabouts in Cambridge, bundled her into a car, and flew her back to Dubai. No one has seen her in public since.

In February 2021, UK police were given a letter written by Latifa in 2019. It asked them to reinvestigate the kidnapping of Shamsa. According to the BBC, Cambridgeshire police would be looking into the letter “as part of the ongoing review” surrounding her kidnap.

“Was the world turning a blind eye?”

What About Sheikha Haya?

Princess Haya married Sheikh Mohammed in April 2004, becoming his sixth wife. She painted an idyllic image of their life together yet this was certainly not the case. In 2019, Princess Haya and her two children escaped to London in fear of their lives but the Sheikh continued to threaten them.

Sheikh Mohammed pursued them through the UK courts, which provoked questions regarding his suitability as a father. Sheikh Mohammed attempted to keep the judgement private but it was decided it was in the “public interest” to publicise such details. The court found Sheikh Mohammed to be responsible for the abduction and forced return of Latifa and Shamsa.

How Has The Sheikh Responded To These Incidents?

Sheikh Mohammed is a very influential man. He is renowned for transforming Dubai into a “top business and tourism destination” and is also very famous in the horse racing world due to his ownership of Godolphin stables.

“Dubai seems luxurious and modern in many ways, yet at the same time, there is very little tolerance for women.”

In 2019, Sheikh Mohammed stated how “to this day, I consider that Latifa’s return to Dubai was a rescue mission” and maintained that Latifa was being cared for at home.

At the same time the Sheikh was at Ascot with another of his daughters and meeting the Queen, Latifa remained confined. Was the world turning a blind eye? Perhaps treating it as a private family issue, rather than a repression of human rights?

What Do These Incidents Represent?

The cases of Sheika Shamsa , Sheika Latifa, and Sheika Haya are frightening. They represent a significant lack of not only women’s rights but human rights. It poses very interesting questions: Dubai seems luxurious and modern in many ways, yet at the same time, there is very little tolerance for women.

Women can “drive, vote, work, and own and inherit property” in Dubai, but according to the Personal Status Law, some of these are dependent on “the formal approval of a male guardian”. This questions how much freedom women actually have.

One can only remain hopeful that Sheikha Latifa and Shamsa are okay and will be able to experience freedom one day.

Maggie John

Featured Image via Eugene Kaspersky on Flickr. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image.