Since then Robinson has described Latifa as “vulnerable” and “troubled”, says she “regrets trying to escape” from Dubai and making the video, says she was in a “serious medical situation” but receiving psychiatric care, and is now “in the loving care of her family”.
This is shocking on two fronts. Firstly, what is a former UN human rights commissioner doing apparently providing cover for a regime that the UN has censured in numerous human rights reports and that has failed to respond to the UN body investigating the kidnap of Latifa and her five companions last March?
If it is the case, this is a clear misuse of her former office and undermines the work of the current UN human rights commissioner. Secondly, does Robinson seriously expect anyone to believe her, given that she is spouting almost word-for-word Dubai’s script about Latifa after a trip paid for by the very family Latifa was trying to escape from?
It’s actually worse than shocking. By assisting Dubai’s rulers, I believe Robinson has undermined the entire movement for fair treatment of women, including #MeToo. No-one can claim Latifa has grown up in poverty, but what’s clear is that her human rights have been violated over decades.
Robinson may feel she’s just doing the right thing, but as far as I'm concerned, she’s effectively thwarting the pursuit of justice and advancement of equality for millions of women across the Middle East and in the Gulf.
It may be that she didn’t know the full story about Latifa, but whose fault is that? Robinson never contacted myself, Latifa’s barrister Toby Cadman or Detained as the princess’s representative, or the other five who were attacked and kidnaped alongside Latifa; nor did she contact Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch who support our campaign.
I believe Robinson is interfering in a way that could have cost Latifa her life. Even now, the powers-that-be in Dubai may be abusing psychiatry to keep Latifa docile (as happened with her sister Shamsa).
