The UN orders UAE to prove kidnapped daughter of Dubai's ruler alive
0The UN has ordered the UAE to prove that Princess Latifa, the daughter of Dubai's ruler, is still alive after she released haunting videos saying she was being kept prisoner by her father. The UN human rights watchdog has also demanded more information about the princess and her current situation after she smuggled out the secretly recorded videos claiming she was being held hostage by Sheikh Al Maktoum. The move comes after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday he was 'concerned' about Princess Sheikha Latifi while Dominic Raab also demanded the UAE proves she is still alive. In the video, Latifa was recorded saying she has been locked in a villa without access to sunlight or fresh air while under constant police guard. 'We raised our concerns about the situation in light of the disturbing video evidence that emerged this week,' Liz Throssell, spokeswoman for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told an online briefing in Geneva. 'We requested more information and clarification about Sheikha Latifa's current situation.''Given the serious concerns about Sheikha Latifa, we have requested that the government's response comes as a matter of priority. We did ask for proof of life,' she said, adding the OHCHR agency would continue to monitor the situation closely. Share this article Share The agency had approached the country's permanent mission in Geneva on Thursday, she said. Latifa has endured a difficult relationship with her father over the years that has resulted in her trying to escape his kingdom twice, once in 2002 and again in 2018. She said she tried to escape what she called his 'repressive control', claiming she had been drugged and tortured on the orders of her father. The sheikh has denied all abuse claims made by his daughter, who is one of 30 children he has with six wives.In 2018 she fled the country by jet ski but was captured eight days later by Indian commandos off the coast of Goa and returned to her father's custody, where she claimed, in the newly released footage, that she has been held captive ever since.The royal recorded the videos over several weeks in 2019 and sent them to her best friend Tiina Jauhiainen, who released them to the BBC and MailOnline to draw attention to her friend's plight.Tiina says she is worried for the royal's safety because she has not spoken to her for nine months. Tiina said her last communication with the princess was in August when she believes her phone was confiscated – and claimed that the UAE security services had been 'bugging' the phone she used to talk with Latifa.Speaking from her home in Finland, Tiina said: 'Now is the time for world leaders to speak out. We are very hopeful that we can find out what has happened to Latifa and secure her freedom.'The Queen is a close friend of the Sheikh. She must now be aware of what he is doing to his daughter and we would welcome her intervention.'People have to speak up. The United Nations must take some actio