UN expresses concern over Princess Latifa, says awaiting ‘proof of life’

In recordings obtained by the BBC that were shared with CNN in February, Princess Latifa is heard saying that she is being held hostage in a “villa converted into a jail” and has no medical access.

The United Nations said that the United Arab Emirates is yet to submit any proof that Princess Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, the daughter of Dubai’s ruler, is alive and well.

CNN reported that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has asked the UAE for “proof of life” for the Princess.

“We haven’t got any proof of life, and we would like one. One thing is clear, compelling evidence that she’s alive. And our first concern for us is to be sure of that,” spokeswoman Marta Hurtado said in Geneva. She continued, “We tried to set up a meeting between senior officials, with the new ambassador of the UAE to the UN in Geneva. In principle, the mission have accepted these requests, but we have no fixed date yet.”

In recordings obtained by the BBC that were shared with CNN in February, Princess Latifa is heard saying that she is being held hostage in a “villa converted into a jail” and has no medical access. The Dubai royal family, in response, said that she is being taken care of by family members and medical professionals.

During the briefing, Hurtado said that she would “ideally meet her” and “talk to her alone to examine all the aspects of her situation.” Asked why the meeting hasn’t taken place yet, she said that it’s a question for the UAE authorities to answer..

She added that they would “raise the case of Latifa’s sister, Sheikha Shamsa, to ask about their whereabouts.”

In February, CNN reported that Latifa sent a letter to the UK police requesting them to investigate the alleged kidnapping of her older sister, Princess Shamsa from Britain in 2000.

Hurtado expressed concern for both princesses and said, “That’s why we are not only asking where they are, but we want to meet them. We want to speak with them. We want to understand their situation, as the case not only with these two women, but other cases of people that have disappeared, or maybe possibly disappeared across the globe.”

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