The ex-wife of a nephew of Dubai’s ruler has been released on bail, the emirate’s government media office said, after she was held during a custody battle.

Zeynab Javadli was detained after her former husband, Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accused her of abducting their three children.

“Dubai Public Prosecution confirms that Ms Zeynab Javadli has been released on bail following questioning,” the Dubai Media Office said in a statement on Saturday.

It added that the questioning was “in connection with an ongoing investigation into allegations that she abducted her children and refused to return them to their father, who was granted custody”.