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The Hay Literary Festival accused a high-ranking member of the ruling family in the Emirates of “scandalous abuse” after an employee filed a complaint of sexual assault against him.
Festival director Caroline Mitchell said the festival will not operate in Abu Dhabi in the future as long as Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan is minister of tolerance.
The employee, Caitlin McNamara, complained that the minister assaulted her earlier this year and demanded legal damages.
The 69-year-old Minister of Tolerance denied the accusations.
Caitlin said in an interview with The Times that the “attack” occurred on February 14, in a villa on a remote island to which she had been invited, she believed, to discuss the preparations for the organization of the Hay Festival for the first time in Abu Dhabi.
He added that he informed festival officials and the embassy immediately after the accident, and notified police in Britain after lockdown measures were lifted due to the Corona virus.
According to the Sunday Times, Caitlin is waiting to hear whether the attorney general will take up her case and that she has decided to waive the right to remain anonymous, “because I feel like I’m going to lose something.”
“I decided to publicly complain to reveal what strong men like him do and I think they will get away with it,” he told the newspaper.
“Looking at the arrangements, it seems clear that I was neither the first nor the last. This accident left a profound impact on me and my body, while for him it was perhaps a temporary whim. ”
The Sunday Times said that it had not received a response from Sheikh Nahyan to comment on these allegations, but had received a statement from the Shillings law firm in London saying: “Our client expresses surprise and regret at these allegations occurring 8 months later. of the alleged incident, and in a national newspaper. Our client denies all of these accusations. ”
The law firm declined to provide further clarification on the matter to the BBC.
“What happened to our colleague and friend Caitlin McNamara in Abu Dhabi in February is a shameful breach of trust and an abominable exploitation of office,” the Hay Festival director wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.
She added that Sheikh Nahyan insulted her ministerial responsibilities and completely sabotaged her government’s attempts to work with Hay Festival to promote freedom of expression and empower women.
We will continue to support Caitlin in demanding legal compensation for this assault, and we urge our friends in the Emirates to consider the behavior of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and send a message to the world that there will be no tolerance for such behavior. The Hay Festival will not return to Abu Dhabi while the minister is in office. ”