A call for action by a P&J columnist to keep the spotlight on a middle-eastern woman being held captive in the United Arab Emirates by her father has inspired change as more than 46,000 people have signed a petition.
Catherine Deveney shone the light on Princess Latifa’s situation last week amid allegations she is being held under the control of her powerful father and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Writing in her column, Ms Deveney spoke of her fears that since secretly recorded video footage of the princess was made public via the BBC’s Panorama programme in February, no authoritative action has been taken.
Princess Latifa is said to be imprisoned in a villa by her father after she unsuccessfully attempted to flee the country in 2018.
Ms Deveney wrote of her distress over the footage, which is alleged to have been filmed on a smuggled device in the princess’ only private area of the villa where she is currently being held – the bathroom.
She questioned if anybody could fail to be disturbed by the footage of the princess, before adding: “But even more disturbing is the silence following that footage.
“I have waited these last six weeks, waited for action to follow the short kerfuffle that Latifa’s video prompted, the little flurries of noise that turned out to be no more than embarrassed coughs in the silence.
“Ahem… where is Latifa? asked the UN.
“Anybody?”
Tonight @BBCPanorama reveals exclusive secret recordings from Princess Latifa of Dubai who is being held against her will by her father, the ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
The Missing Princess | 8.30pm | @BBCOne #MissingPrincesshttps://t.co/aBILuvZVhX
— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) February 16, 2021
Since her column was published, a petition on change.org has been set up using her comments, which has amassed more than 46,500 signatures of its desired 50,000 target.
The petition, set up in the name of David Haigh of London, has generated 46,599 (as of 5pm on Monday) since being set up on Saturday.
Not the first time an escape attempt has been made
Latifa, 35, is the second of Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum’s 25 children to attempt to flee Dubai.
In 2000, her sister Shamsa made a desperate call to a British solicitor. A few days later, she was whisked off the streets of Cambridge by four Arab men and has since disappeared from public view.
Later his ex-wife, 46-year-old Princess Haya, appeared in a family court in London with her two young children where the court ruled she had been subject to a campaign of intimidation by the sheikh.
‘Fairy tale notion’
Ms Deveney highlighted in her column the spark of magic a mere mention of Arabia of Persia would ignite in a child’s fairy tale, however, she says she has startingly come to the realisation that the reality of life in either region is not as glamourous as first imagined.
She concluded her column: “Alas, it seems that international accountability is as much a fairy tale notion as the privileged Persian princesses of the Arabian Nights.”