The UAE has an apparent habit of taking custody of people on behalf of allied foreign governments. Now that China is getting all big in its britches, they have no problem having other governments do their dirty work, all so they can prove that they can get to people no matter where they are. It’s a fear tactic. I think they want their citizenry to know this, but they deny it to the international community because that’s what they do.
Honestly, they’re sending people to intimidate expats here in the US. This wouldn’t surprise me in the least, especially if her husband is a pro-democracy “dissident.”
We owe the former Soviet Union an apology.