A British student has been jailed for life in Dubai after what her family described as “a very stupid mistake".
Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton, Liverpool, is now being held in central prison, her mother revealed in a fundraising appeal for help with legal and travel costs.
“Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai, and she is now in central prison,” her mother, Danielle McKenna, 46, wrote in the post, cited by Daily Mail. “As you can all probably imagine, as her mother, I am absolutely devastated. I haven’t seen my daughter since last October."
McKenna penned in the fundraiser, which was deleted, according to The Sun, that her daughter is a 23-year-old law student and "has never done a bad thing in her life".
"This is a young girl, who went to university to do law, and unfortunately got mixed up in the wrong so-called friends and made a very stupid mistake, and is now paying the price," she continued.
“So all I ask is if you can donate anything you can spare, even if it’s a £1, it could help up massively and I would be forever grateful. Thank you so much.”
She later updated the post, adding: “I just want to thank everyone for their donations so far, this money will be used to send to my daughter Mia, and also for any legal fees that may arise, and maybe even to go towards getting family over to Dubai to see her, as none of us have seen Mia since last October, so thank you all so much.”
The mom spoke about her daughter's imprisonment in the Middle Eastern country to the Daily Mail, saying: “She’s going through it at the minute. She’s just been transferred to another prison after getting a life sentence. It’s been a massive shock.”
It has not been confirmed what crime O'Brien was convicted of, though in Dubai, life sentences - typically around 15 years - are handed down in cases involving drug trafficking, serious violence, or terrorism.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office warns travelers: “There is zero tolerance for drug-related offences. The penalties for trafficking, smuggling, using, and possessing illegal drugs (including residual amounts) are severe."
“Sentences for drug trafficking can include the death penalty. Possession of even the smallest amount of illegal drugs, including cannabis, can lead to a minimum three-month prison term or a fine of between 20,000 UAE dirham ($5,445) and 100,000 UAE dirham ($27,000+).
Emirati authorities "count the presence of drugs in the bloodstream as possession. Some ‘herbal highs’ and products containing cannabidiol (CBD) are illegal in the UAE," they cautioned. "Possessing, concealing, or making transactions with money from drug-related offences is illegal. You could get a prison sentence and a fine.
“UAE airports have excellent technology and security for detecting illegal items, including cannabis. This is also used to scan the baggage of transiting passengers. You can be arrested for carrying drugs, even residual amounts," the page concluded.