A 23-year-old British law student has been jailed for life in Dubai after a major drug trafficking case.
Mia O’Brien was handed the sentence last month after police allegedly discovered cocaine inside the apartment she was staying in.
The Liverpool student has denied all charges against her.
A Life Sentence In Dubai
O’Brien was accused of drug trafficking after police reportedly found 50 grams of cocaine inside the property.
She was convicted and sentenced entirely in Arabic, with her lawyer later confirming the shocking verdict to her.
Her mother, Danielle McKenna, said her daughter made a “very stupid mistake” by surrounding herself with the wrong friends.
A life sentence for foreign nationals in Dubai usually means 25 years, followed by deportation.
It’s a punishment typically handed down for drug trafficking, terrorism charges, murder, and similar serious crimes.
Mia was also fined £100,000 as part of the ruling.
She will serve her sentence at Dubai central prison, where British teenager Marcus Fakana was previously incarcerated.
Inside Dubai’s Notorious Prison
Conditions in the facility have been described as “hellish” by human rights groups.
Detained in Dubai has reported that prisoners often sleep in overcrowded cells with little to no bedding.
Meals are said to mostly consist of rice, while reports of torture and sexual abuse have surfaced from former inmates.
Danielle has shared her daughter’s own account of prison life.
She said Mia currently shares a cell with six other inmates and sleeps on a mattress on the floor.
According to her mother, Mia has already witnessed violent fights between prisoners.
Fundraiser To Support Mia
In her latest update, Danielle confirmed she has set up a new fundraiser to support Mia.
This time it is hosted on the Christian donation platform GiveSendGo.
So far, £420 has been raised, but Danielle hopes more donations will allow relatives to visit Mia in Dubai.
“I am asking for your help, so that family can get over to Dubai to visit Mia, as we haven’t seen her since last October, and it would also really help with any other fees that we may face along the way,” she wrote.
“Even if it’s only a £1 it could help us massively. Thank you so much.”
Danielle previously attempted to raise funds on GoFundMe.
That campaign was later removed, as the platform prohibits raising money for the legal defence of certain alleged crimes.
Afterward, Danielle publicly shared her bank details on Facebook while seeking support.
Family Pleads For Compassion
The family is continuing to fight for Mia, insisting she is innocent of the trafficking allegations.
Danielle has described the entire ordeal as devastating, both emotionally and financially.
She says her main focus now is ensuring Mia has support while serving her sentence.
The case has sparked further discussion about Dubai’s strict drug laws and the treatment of foreign inmates.
For now, Mia faces years in prison under some of the harshest conditions reported in the region.
Her family hopes increased awareness and donations will at least allow them to visit her soon.
Featured image credit: Facebook/GoFundMe
