Princess Latifa Al Maktoum, the daughter Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has been missing for four months.
Despite living what appeared to be a lifestyle of wealth and privilege, her reality was far from glamorous. Hatching a plan with former French spy Herve Jaubert, Princess Latifa planned to escape.
But, the plan did not go as expected and now the princess has not been seen since March.
According to 60 Minutes, the princess attempted her escape via yacht, but eight days in it was reportedly intercepted with heavily armed men and the princess was abducted at gunpoint.
The Channel Nine program managed to obtain footage of the 32-year-old princess recorded just days before her alleged escape, attacking her father and making allegations of imprisonment and torture.
Princess Latifa says in the video, ‘All my father cares about is his reputation. If you are watching this video, it’s is not such a good thing. Either I’m dead, or I’m in a very, very, very bad situation.’
The 38-minute video sees Latifa outline her imprisonment following another escape attempt.
‘It was constant torture, constant torture,’ she says. ‘Even when they weren’t physically beating me up, they would torture me.’
‘I was in solitary confinement by myself, totally, and there’s no windows, there’s no light.’
Speaking to 60 Minutes reporter Tom Steinfort, her accomplice Jaubert says: ‘I could not believe the daughter of the ruler would want to escape.
‘And then she told me about her life, it’s difficult to hear, you know, when a woman speaks about abuse, torture imprisonment.’
Steinfort also spoke to Radha Sterling, the Australian founder of human rights group, Detained in Dubai, who has helped raise awareness for the princess’ story and shared the video which has now garnered global attention.
The United Arab Emirates Government declined an interview request by 60 Minutes, and are yet to formally confirm or deny the story. However, unofficial government sources in Dubai suggest Latifa is safely back with her family.
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