Please support my mum and baby brother, trapped in Dubai.

[rab1010]

Hello everyone,

I'm writing to help my mum get some support for a campaign that I am trying to run to secure her freedom.

My name is Rabbhi, I am a 26 y/old graduate living in London and right now my mum and baby brother are trapped in Dubai. They have been stuck there for over 3 years. In October 2013 my mums son was snatched from her and she hasn't seen him since. She's spent every day with him since he was born.

My mother was the victim of domestic violence from her (now) ex husband, a French expatriate whom she married and moved to Dubai to be with. Shortly after their marriage he started to abuse her physically and emotionally. I was there to witness some of it and since then it has been an absolute nightmare for my family. We've lost almost everything trying to battle a system that is entirely prejudiced towards women and does not recognize violence against women.

Right now I am trying to raise awareness, in any way I can to help secure their freedom. My mum is mired in web of false cases instigated by her husband who is using Dubai's archaic and incredibly prejudiced sharia law to persecute my mum .

Some articles have been published in the past few days highlighting my mothers plight. Please see these links:

t.co/SEWF4LynLk - Huffington Post
fw.to/YIYWPbc - Telegraph

I am trying to do everything I can to help my mum get justice, get her son back, and hopefully return rightfully to the UK.

This is a long shot but I really hope you can get invovled and support our cause. I tweet alot about it (twitter.com/Rabbhi) and am hopeful that social media and online action can force the UK government to actually step up and do the right thing.

If you have any suggestions (I'm new to this entirely!) I can be contacted on [email protected]

Please help me get my family home.

Thanks in advance for your support.

[rab1010]

Dear readers,

Please help us share this in twitter / social media or even just tell friends or people who care. I'm trying to get as much interest as possible due to the impending trial my mum faces. If she gets convicted for a false crime she will go to jail and lose her boy forever.

twitter.com/Rabbhi

I am trying to get some action via Twitter so that the politicians take more notice.

Your help or comments, tweets and thoughts are much appreciated :)

Thanks so much

Rabbhi

[rab1010]

bump :)

[rab1010]

bump...

Dear friends, strangers, and mums :)

Please please sign my petiton to help secure the release of my mother, a victim of domestic violence trapped in Dubai. She faces the prospect of never seeing her 3yr old son again due to abuse of sharia law and campaign of violence by ex husband.

A petition here- every signature counts: www.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_British_Government_Work_with_Dubai_government_to_free_Afsana/?ckEeAbb

Our website: freeafsana.com - has more information abut the horrid ordeal and how you can support if you can.

Please feel free to ask any questions and please help me spread the word :)

Thank you so much

Rabbhi

[SavoyCabbage]

It sounds like she is in an almost impossible situation, especially as your brother was born there.

I've a friend who is 'trapped' in Australia as she can't take her sons out of the country without her husbands permission and all of them are British.

I hope that everything goes well for your family next week. It must be awful for all of you.

[HeartShapedBox]

signed.

wish your poor mum and baby brother all the luck in the world, it's shocking that this is possible in 2014

[rab1010]

Hello to you both

Thanks so much for signing and your kind words.

Still in shell shock just as much as the day it started but hoping that by spreading the word and raising awareness we can change this nasty situation for the better.

Yes, can't believe this can happen. My advice is to really read up on the laws of where you go. Unfortunately mum just got caught in a really bad relationship and I guess you can't ever predict that happening.

Has been awful but we still have hope.

Thanks again for signing and you can follow me on twitter twitter.com/Rabbhi if you want to keep up to date with what is happening.

:)

[rab1010]

And I am so sorry to hear about your friend Savoycabbage. I would have hoped that Australia was more 'forward' thinking. I know how agonizing this situation can be. My thoughts with your friend too.

[SavoyCabbage]

When you get caught up with all these laws and different countries rules etc. you do find yourself unable to believe it is happening. And you feel so helpless too.

I'm in a bit of a situation with my dh not being able to get into Britain despite having two british children and being married to me for 13 years. I can't comprehend it either.

There is a 'living overseas' section on mumsnet too. It's in the homes and gardens section.

[rab1010]

bump

[rab1010]

Hello again everyone

My mother stands for twww.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26088309rial today, in Dubai. We are very anxious about what the verdict will be but either way it will be an immense struggle to secure her freedom and ensure she is reunited with her toddler son.

Please read our story in today's Evening Standard:
www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/dubais-a-small-place--he-took-louis-in-an-instant-9119014.html

And BBC:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26088309

I really need all the support I can get. If you could share this with people you know and just tell them or send the links it would really help my mums plight.

We have a petition which is steadily getting more signatures but the UK Foreign Office will not act without people speaking up. In recent rape cases involving Norwegian and Austrian women in the UAE, the respective governments intervened to stop a gross injustice from taking place but in comparison the UK government does little to help my mum and Louis.

Please help and sign the petition:
secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_British_Government_Work_with_Dubai_government_to_free_Afsana/?ckEeAbb

I really appreciate all the support and input I get.

Thanks :)
Rabbhi

[NinjaKangaroo]

Bump!

[fideline]

I heard you on LBC last week, Rabbhi. You were very impressive.

Do not underestimate how much your calm, articulate persistence is already helping your Mum. You are an absolute credit to her. Keep plugging away.

Do you have professional/PR help? There are worse places than Mumsnet to appeal for some Pro Bono help, if not.

I will circulate the petition details, of course.

[rab1010]

Thank you all for your support and responses. I really appreciate any support and help including signatures!

I don't have any support or PR. It is essentially just me trying to raise awareness and some kind friends and family who have committed some time to help. I'd be really appreciate for suggestions or contacts.

The verdict was postponed for two days but what happened today was scary and hell to say the least.

You can hear me today again on LB radio 97.3 www.lbc.co.uk/listen-live-3578 @ 1535 and I will recount what happened.

Any suggestions or advice would be really appreciated.

Thank you all so much for your support :)

[rab1010]

I hope so. I have asked before but that was when I was just setting up the campaign. Do you have an idea of who to approach?

I really hope as many people can get behind my mums campaign.

[lucjam]

I think you can contact the powers that be a MN Towers - maybe report your own post? Hopefully they will see this an do it now. Off to sign your petition, good luck x

[SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed]

Just signed!

Yes, report your post to MNHQ and ask them to take a look.

[rab1010]

thank you for signing! pls share through facebook and twitter if you can :)

[Chippingnortonset123]

Bump. Signed.

[5madthings]

Bump, will sign and share on twitter etc.

[rab1010]

thank u all so much. I have reported this post to MN admin and hope they can pick it up! thank u all for suggestions and support. I really really appreciate it. x

[livenlet]

Rabbhi this is terible , I have signed hope you get all signiters you need and the goverment step in and do something soon . My thoughts are with you and your family .

[duchesse]

That's dreadful Rabbhi! You are doing so well to canvas widespread support. Why on earth is your mum not being supported by the British diplomats in Dubai? Is there nothing they can do?

Also, what is your brother's nationality? Does he hold a UK passport?

[rab1010]

Hi there

The UK FCO have been very unsupportive and it is shameful and a disgrace. They totally disregard the DV and human rights abuses she has faced and peddle the line that they "Cannot interfere in the UAE justice system". All we have asked for is a fair trial and review of her case NOT intervention.

You can listen to this radio clip of me on LBC 97.3 with a full update of the horrors of the court room my mum faces. In the UAE it seems very easy for a man to abuse the sharia courts to persecute and subjugate a woman- that is exactly what is happening to my mum.

soundcloud.com/freeafsana/rabbhi-speaks-to-julia

All the while the UK Foreign Office disregard all the facts and the most awful fact that she has lost her son now.

Please help us raise awareness and prevent her being forgotten about. Please help us reunite her with Louis.

I really appreciate all and any support. I'm feeling inundated with it all but trying to be like a raging bull as I can't let this go.

Thanks

Rabbhi