The former wife of a member of Dubai's ruling family has expressed concern that she could be arrested as her ex-husband has lodged a criminal complaint with local police, accusing her of kidnapping their three young daughters.
Since their divorce in 2019, Zeynab Javadli has been involved in a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is the nephew of the ruler of Dubai.
It has come to a head in recent weeks as the children have changed hands between the parents several times, with each accusing the other of kidnapping them.
Ms Javadli also potentially faces arrest for e-crimes - online offences - after she livestreamed the latest showdown.
In going public, she says she realised that she was taking a big risk.
I knew that it was the last chance to be with my children as they would never let me see them again. I genuinely believed that it was my last chance, so I just opened a livestream and called for help, she said in a video message to her British lawyer, David Haigh.
Ms Javadli was speaking from her house in Dubai, where she claims that she and her three daughters have essentially once again been isolated since she took them back with her after they'd been with their father for several weeks.
Up until then, Ms Javadli had had effective custody of the children under a deal she says was agreed with the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in 2022. That agreement, she says, guaranteed her custody of the children until they were 18 years old, as well as a house and other assistance. Their schooling has been paid for by their father.
In return, David Haigh says she had to sign papers saying that she would - among other things - not speak to the media again about her situation, nor would she do any more livestreaming.
A subsequent court ruling granted custody to Sheikh Saeed, but Ms Javadli says she received assurances from those involved in her case that the deal with Dubai's ruler would not be affected.
That remained the situation until two months ago, when Ms Javadli claims she received a message from her ex-husband through Dubai police telling her there was no need to wait as they would not be returned to her that day.
She heard nothing from them for several weeks. She was finally granted a visitation for three hours at a child protection centre and headed there with her driver on November 8. When she entered the centre, her children were not there. As she was leaving, she saw them running towards her, calling out for her.
She told her driver to lock the doors and drive them home, but she claims their way was blocked by cars belonging to people working for her ex-husband. That was when she decided to livestream her plea for help. Despite knowing the risks, she felt it was her only option.
Since that day, Ms Javadli has not dared to leave her home for fear of arrest, and her daughters, aged nine, seven, and six, have not been going to school.
The BBC has attempted to contact officials in the UAE for comments but has not received a response. Sheikh Saeed's court filings present a different narrative, accusing Ms Javadli of kidnapping and violating state laws.
Ms Javadli rejects these claims and insists that her actions stem from desperation. Advocates like David Haigh cite her case as indicative of broader issues regarding women's rights in the UAE, contrasting Dubai's public image with the lived realities of women navigating familial and legal systems.
