The UN Office for Human Rights said on Friday that it had asked the United Arab Emirates for evidence that an Emirati princess who had been detained for almost three years was still alive.
The office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva said that the case of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum was raised with the UAE mission to the UN on Thursday.
Earlier this week, the BBC released excerpts from video diaries recorded, according to Latifa, in a closed bathroom in the Dubai villa where she was being held. She was detained by commandos off the coast of India in 2018 after trying to flee Dubai with a yacht.
“We have raised our concerns about the situation in the light of the disturbing video evidence that emerged this week,” Elizabeth Throssell, a spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Rights of the Child, told reporters. “We asked for more information and clarified about Sheikha Latifa’s current situation.”
“We did ask for proof of life,” she added.
Friends of the princess have said they are worried about her safety because nothing has been heard from her since she stopped responding to text messages six months ago. The 35-year-old princess is the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the hereditary ruler of Dubai, who also serves as Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates.
Download the NBC News app for news and politics
Throssell stressed that it is standard practice for the UN Human Rights Office to inquire about individual cases within its mandate. “It includes matters for whatever reason that have attracted more attention.”
“Given the serious concerns about Sheika Latifa, we asked that the government’s response should be given priority,” she added. “We look forward to receiving and considering this response.”
“In the meantime, we will of course continue to closely monitor and assess the situation,” Throssell said.
The United Arab Emirates’ embassy in London issued a statement on behalf of the Latifa family, saying that media coverage of her situation “certainly does not reflect the real position.”
“Her family has confirmed that her dignity is being cared for at home, supported by her family and medical professionals,” the statement said. “She continues to improve and we are hopeful that she will return to public life at the right time.”
The case over Latifa was raised earlier by independent legal experts appointed by the world body.
In December, the UN working group on forced or involuntary disappearance reported that it had decided to investigate the case of Latifa, “who is being held in unconscious detention at her family home in Dubai.”