A BRIT woman has been jailed for life in Dubai for making a “very stupid mistake”, her family has revealed.
Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton, Liverpool, is being held in the city’s central prison as her “devastated” mum pleads for help through a fundraiser.
GOFUNDMEMia O’Brien, 23, is currently in Dubai Central Prison, according to her mum[/caption]
GoFundMeMia attended university to study law[/caption]
GoFundMeHer family have not seen her since October[/caption]
Mia’s mum Danielle McKenna, 46, wrote in the now-deleted fundraiser: “As you can all probably imagine, as her mother I am absolutely devastated.
“I haven’t seen my daughter since last October.
“Mia is only 23 years old 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.
“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 thanked people for their donations, explaining the money would be sent to Mia and used to cover legal fees and travel costs so that her family can visit her.
It is unclear why the GoFundMe was deleted, but the fundraiser, which had a target of £1,600, had raised just under £700.
Discussing her daughter’s state of mind, Danielle told the Daily Mail: “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.”
A life sentence in the UAE typically means 25 years of imprisonment.
The family has not disclosed the crime Mia has been convicted of, but the country generally hands down life sentences for the following offences: drug trafficking and possession; murder or attempted murder; human trafficking and terrorism-related activities.
On its travel advice for Dubai, the FCDO says: “There is zero tolerance for drugs-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 3-month prison term or a fine of between 20,000 UAE dirham and 100,000 UAE dirham.
“The Emirati authorities count the presence of drugs in the blood stream as possession.”
GoFundMeMia’s mother Danielle McKenna (right) is appealing for help[/caption]
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