Ex-wife of Dubai ruler's nephew arrested in UAE

Where Diplomacy Meets News

Ex-wife of Dubai ruler’s nephew arrested in UAE

June 5, 2026

DUBAI,— Dubai authorities have taken into custody Zeynab Javadli, the former wife of Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a nephew of Dubai’s ruler, officials said.

Dubai Public Prosecution told the BBC that Javadli was detained after a complaint filed by Sheikh Saeed, the father of their three children.

The complaint alleged that she had taken the children during a visitation period authorized by the court.

Concerns about Javadli’s whereabouts emerged after relatives and friends said they had been unable to contact her since Tuesday night.

They raised concerns after communication with her stopped.

For nearly two days, no information was available regarding the location of either Javadli or the children.

In recent months, Javadli had rarely left her residence because she believed security personnel were waiting to arrest her and remove her children from her care.

The dispute between the former spouses has continued for some time. Last year, Sheikh Saeed filed a police complaint accusing Javadli of kidnapping their daughters.

The allegation followed several transfers of custody between the parents, with both sides accusing the other of abducting the children.

Javadli, a former international gymnast, has also faced the possibility of arrest in the United Arab Emirates over alleged e-crimes, or online offenses.

The matter arose after she livestreamed one of the confrontations involving the custody dispute last year.

Explaining her decision at the time in a video message to British human rights lawyer David Haigh, who has supported her case, Javadli said she believed it might be her final opportunity to be with her children.

She said she feared she would never be allowed to see them again and therefore began a livestream while seeking assistance.

During court proceedings related to the custody case, lawyers representing Sheikh Saeed argued that Javadli was not a suitable parent.

They alleged that she had failed to send her daughters to school, had lived in accommodation they considered inappropriate for the children while staying in a hotel, and had endangered the health of the youngest daughter.

In a statement issued Thursday evening, Dubai Public Prosecution said the case was still being investigated and remained subject to continuing legal proceedings.

The prosecution said it would continue taking necessary legal action in line with applicable laws while protecting the welfare and best interests of the children.

Responding to the development, Haigh called on the UAE to grant Javadli immediate access to her lawyer, her consulate, and her family, and to return her to her home in Dubai.

(With files from BBC)