Dubai Royals News and Pictures

[Principessa]

https://nos.nl/artikel/23...verdwenen-oudere-zus.html

Princess Dubai asks the UK to investigate the missing older sister

Princess Latifa al-Maktoum of Dubai has asked the United Kingdom to restart the investigation into her missing older sister Shamsa. The princess shared a letter she sent to the BBC.

Shamsa was kidnapped on the street in Cambridge more than 20 years ago. In the letter, her younger sister writes that their father, the Emir of Dubai, was behind the disappearance. Shamsa was 18 when it happened. She is now 39 years old and has not been seen in public since the kidnapping.

"All I ask of you is to please pay attention to this matter," Princess Latifa wrote to the British authorities. "Then she could regain her freedom."

'Making a difference for women'
The older princess spent part of her childhood in England. There she was in close contact with her cousin, with whom the BBC spoke. "She wanted to make a difference for women, especially in the Arab world," he told the broadcaster. "She wanted to push the limits. Then the problems started."

In a letter to her cousin in 1999, Shamsa wrote that her father would not allow her to study. “He didn't even ask me what I wanted. He just said no,” the BBC quotes the letter. She confided in her nephew that she wanted to run.

Zombie
In the following summer, she drove away from the family's Surrey estate. She was later found in Cambridge. Her father took her to France by helicopter. From there she was flown to Dubai.

The British police were not aware of the kidnapping until after seven months. The police wanted to go to Dubai to check facts, but that request was denied. After that, the investigation was halted. In 2018, Shamsa is said to have reconnected with the police. The case was closed not long after due to "lack of evidence to take further action".

Shamsa was in prison until 2008, her sister Latifa says. "She had to be led by the hand because she couldn't open her eyes. She was given a load of pills to keep her under control. Those pills turned her into a zombie," writes her younger sister.

Latifa also claims to have been held hostage
Latifa would also have been brought back to Dubai from abroad against her will. Videos were released last week in which she says that she is being held hostage by her family and that she fears for her life. A statement released by the royal family last week says she is being well looked after.

The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly asked to clarify the issue from the UN, Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, but answers have so far been lacking.

[Gemsheal]

Every time I come to this topic I feel I want to hire the world's best SWAT team, go to Dubai and take care of business.  I really wish I could!!