Radha Stirling - Panel Discussion at Frontiers of Freedom Conference - Human Rights and Domestic Policy: Saudi Arabia and UAE

Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai speaks at Frontiers of Freedom's Saudi Arabia and UAE Conference Radha Stirling's remarks for Frontiers of Freedom's conference on Saudi Arabia and UAE: Regional Adventures and U.S. Interests.

حقوقية بريطانية تكشف تطورات قضية الأميرة لطيفة The case of Emirati Princess Latifa (35 years), daughter of the ruler of Dubai, has returned to the spotlight again, after recent photos attributed to her were circulated on social media, which raised uproar, doubts and calls for international intervention. To make sure of her safety and the extent of herfreedom, especially that the UAE authorities are still silent about this issue. In this context, "Arabi 21" conducted an exclusive interview with the director of the British organization "Detained in Dubai", Radha Stirling, who is closely interested in the file of Sheikha Latifa, to find out about the latest developments in this controversial issue, and the validity of the circulated images. https://arabi21.com/story/1361130/%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A21-%D9%87%D8%B0%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%B7%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%82%D8%B6%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%81%D8%A9-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%AF

Statement of Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai: Anyone familiar with Princess Latifa’s story who listened to the BBC Radio interview today with Mary Robinson will be astonished at the extent to which Ms Robinson appeared to be reciting almost verbatim from Dubai’s script. What we heard today was Mary Robinson essentially reciting for BBC Radio listeners the content of the statement issued by the Dubai Ruler’s Court. She had nothing to say about the charges Latifa made against her father, Sheikh Mohammed, in her video, only saying that Latifa, now again in her father’s custody, regretted having recorded it. She said nothing about Latifa’s having planned her escape for nearly a decade, nor anything about her previous escape attempt. She did not mention the escape and subsequent reported abduction of Latifa’s sister Shamsa. She said nothing about the illegal raid of Latifa’s boat in international waters, and the fact that she was screaming for asylum and begging to not be returned to the UAE. Ms Robinson simply repeated again and again from the official Dubai statement that Latifa is in the “loving care of her family” and that the whole issue is nothing more than a “family matter”. Ms Robinson suggests that the circumstances of Latifa’s escape should be investigated, but not the allegations of torture and abuse which prompted her escape, nor did she suggest that the violent capture by the security forces of the UAE and India in international waters should be investigated. She stated that Latifa is currently under “psychiatric care”; Latifa has previously described this “care” to include forced medication that caused her sister Shamsa to be sedated to the point that her personality was crushed after she was abducted from the UK and forcibly brought back to Dubai. Latifa phoned me on the night of her abduction, pleading for my help. Given what she has conveyed to me, this meeting in no way satisfies me that she is free from the abuse that she told me she had suffered for years. What Ms Robinson has related of Latifa’s current condition is in line with exactly what we and Latifa would have anticipated; That the same lucid and determined woman seen in the video made prior to her escape, the same woman who trained for and planned a daring escape, the same woman that Tiina had come to know as strong, is now being presented as mentally disturbed and vulnerable and being provided with “psychiatric care”. It is obvious to me that this meeting between Mary Robinson and Latifa, under the supervision of Princess Haya, one of Sheikh Mohammed’s wives; and indeed, Ms Robinson’s comments about the meeting, reveal nothing concrete about Latifa’s condition and serve only to promote Dubai’s attempt to avoid any serious enquiry. We are very happy that Latifa is alive, but are cognizant of the fact that she herself said that she would rather die than be returned to her father’s custody, and thus, continue to have grave concerns about her welfare.

Update on Sheikha Zaynab / Princess Zeynab from Detained in Dubai's Radha Stirling. Stirling has been advocating for women's rights improvements in the gulf for over ten years, having defended rape victims charged with sex outside marriage, family law and custody disputes. Radha Stirling was appointed by Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum during her escape from Dubai.

4:30 PM ET – Detained in Dubai, which is based in the United Kingdom and assists people with legal problems in the United Arab Emirates “UAE”. They are London based specialising in international dispute resolution, crisis management and strategic advisory firm specializing in a range of criminal and civil disputes in Dubai, the wider UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia. They were contacted by Princess Latifa (Sheikha Latifa AL Maktoum in February 2018 and have been working to get her free and safe. According to all available information, it would appear that following their departure from Oman to the Indian coast, The Nostromo, a US-flagged yacht, was intercepted by the Indian Military. According to the statement of Ms. Jauhiainen: “On Sunday 4th March 2018 as night fell we what was off the coast of Goa, India when we were attacked by Indian secret service and military, including the Indian Coast Guard. Around 15 men came on board fully masked, in armored black clothing, with machine guns and laser sights. They used what was some kind of gas that filled the boat was smoke. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. The Indian men had their laser sights on me and Latifa and they were telling me they would shoot me and kill me. I was thrown against the floor, stood on and found myself in a pool of blood. At this point, I thought they had killed Hervé and I thought I was next. They told me again and again that they would kill me and held me on the edge of the boat, threatening to push me into the sea. We were cuffed and forced to lie down.”

The United Nations & Human Rights Watch have demanded answers from India and the UAE on the enforced disappearance of Sheikha Latifa, the daughter of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum. Celebrities like Daryl Hannah, Kimdotcom & Sean Hannity are also pushing for answers as is the international press. The UAE’s media however, has not published a single article about the princess’s disappearance and has warned residents that they will face a prison sentence or 1,000,000 dirham fine if they do. Latifa has not been heard from since she was kidnapped from a US pleasure yacht on the 4th of March by Indian & UAE military forces, in breach of international law and treaties. Her last words to me were “please help me, there are men outside, I don’t know what is happening and I hear gunshots”. She was trying to flee “years of abuse & torture” outlined in a video she made before her escape. #UAE #Dubai #FreeLatifa #HelpLatifa

This is the original video testimony of Sheikha Latifa al Maktoum, released by Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai. Two days after the attack on US flagged yacht Nostromo and kidnapping of Princess Latifa, Stirling was provided with a video by Latifa's immigration lawyer in the United States. The video was only to be released if Latifa's escape attempt had failed. Stirling released it to journalists once she had viewed the disturbing content. While there was an extended version retained by a third party, that version has not been released. However, the missing part thanked Hervé Jaubert for his commitment to helping her. Detained in Dubai have set up a website PrincessLatifa.org as a resource to press and the public. They continue to fight for Latifa's freedom and increased freedoms overall in the gulf region.