Dominic Raab demands UAE proves that ‘kidnapped’ princess still alive
The UK wants to see proof that Princess Latifa – daughter of the ruler of Dubai – is still alive after she said she was being held against her will in “deeply troubling” new footage.
Dominic Rabb was asked if he would support seeing proof from the UAE that Latifa was alive, telling Sky News:
“Given what we’ve just seen, I think people would just at a human level want to see that she’s alive and well, of course, I think that’s a natural instinct and we would certainly welcome that.”
He called the video “deeply troubling”, and that Britain was concerned by it and would follow the developments from the UN, which said it would question the UAE about Princess Latifa.
"The situation is getting more desperate every day"
Secret messages, sent by Dubai’s Princess Latifa Al Maktoum, reveal details of how she has been held in captivity, after a failed attempt to leave Dubai in 2018https://t.co/3TyMLqAgwF pic.twitter.com/kDoCkeZrro
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 16, 2021
“I have always raised human rights issues, I always do, with foreign ministers, with the ambassadors,” the foreign secretary told Sky News.
“I think the right thing given what the United Nations has said is to follow very closely, and we are obviously always supportive of, the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights.”
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights suggested it would raise questions over the video with the UAE and a spokesperson said an investigation could be launched.
In footage aired on BBC Panorama on Tuesday, Princess Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum – whose father Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the ruler of Dubai and vice president of the UAE – said she was “hostage” in a villa in the UAE capital.
On BBC’s Today programme on Wednesday, Dominica Raab was asked if the UK was planning action such as asset freezes or travel bans on individuals thought to be involved. He replied: “It’s not the case we can just willy nilly put sanctions on individuals.”
Asked if Sheikh Rashid was welcome in the UK in light of the footage, Mr Raab said: “We keep engaged with all of our partners and indeed that’s the way we raise issues of concern, whether it’s human rights or otherwise.”
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