passport and engineered the rejection of a Thai visa. A Human Rights Watch researcher
confirmed that Thai officials planned to put her on a flight back home. Al-Qunun’s father
and brother, whom she alleges psychologically and physically abused her, flew to Bangkok
in an attempt to meet her. Activists from all over the world were alerted via social media.
Following global pressure, the Thai authorities eventually allowed her to travel safely to
Canada, where she received asylum.
United Arab Emirates
Emirati women face discrimination, including male guardianship policies, that leave them
exposed to domestic violence. Those who flee abusive families have also been forcibly
brought home, with the help of the Emirati authorities. Human Rights Watch has reported
on the abduction and enforced disappearance of two daughters of Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai.
In February 2018, Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammad al-Maktoum, daughter of the ruler of
Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, attempted to flee the UAE by sea to a
third country. A witness told Human Rights Watch that on March 4, 2018, Latifa was
intercepted by Emirati authorities on their boat 50 miles off the coast of Goa, India, and
forcibly returned to the UAE. According to the witness, the Indian Coast Guard participated
in the raid in coordination with UAE authorities. On April 18, Agence France-Presse
reported that a source close to the Dubai government confirmed that Latifa “was brought
back” to the UAE. In December 2018, UAE authorities released statements and pictures
showing that Latifa was alive. Prior to her attempted escape, Latifa had told friends that
she wished to flee restrictions imposed by her family. She had attempted to flee before, in
2002, but was caught, detained, and tortured. A UK high court ruling on another case in
March 2020 found that Latifa’s father was responsible for her abduction, and that since
her return she has been deprived of her liberty. Her whereabouts remain unknown.
The court ruling also found that Sheikh Mohammed was responsible for the abduction of
another one of his daughters, Sheikha Shamsa, from Cambridge, UK, in 2000. The court
confirmed that she too was being deprived of her liberty in UAE. The failure of the UK
authorities to investigate the abduction provides the ruler of Dubai with cover to commit
transnational repression on UK soil.
21
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | FEBRUARY 2024
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