Ex-wife of a Dubai prince, 3 children 'abducted' amid bitter custody battle, lawyer raises alarm: 'She just vanished'

The ex-wife of a Dubai prince and three children have reportedly been "abducted" by Emirati police in a surprise night raid, a British lawyer claimed, raising alarm over the mysterious disappearance of 34-year-old Zeynab Javadli and her children. Javadli was married to 49-year-old Sheikh Saeed, a nephew of the Dubai ruler. Javadl and her ex-husband were in the middle of a bitter custody battle. She was ordered to hand over the children two months ago.

David Haigh, the British lawyer of Javadli, said he last spoke to her on Tuesday night and after that she just vanished. He said the authorities did not provide any single answer as to what might have happened to her.

Javadli's mother who arrived in Dubai for a visit found the house locked and empty. According to the BBC report, she was in touch with the police in Dubai and the consulate of Azerbaijan, Javadli's home country.

The custody battle of the estranged couple has been going on with the latest update being the ex-husband lodging a complaint accusing Javadli of kidnapping their daughters. The children have already faced several changes of hands in custody.

Who is Javadli, a former international gymnast, but a criminal in UAE?

Javadli is an Azerbaijani former rhythmic gymnast. She has been facing potential arrest for online offences as she livestreamed it when the Dubai Police last came to her home. "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 at that time.
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