The young student has been handed a life sentence overseas, though the exact reason is still unclear
A 23-year-old British student has been sentenced to life in prison in Dubai after what has been described as a ‘very stupid mistake’ during her time in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Dubai may be a world-famous destination for travelers, but its strict rules and heavy punishments mean visitors need to be extremely cautious about their actions.
Mia O’Brien, originally from Liverpool in the UK, is now locked inside the city’s central prison. Authorities have not released details of her exact offense, but it has resulted in the harshest sentence possible.
Her mother, Danielle, told the Daily Mail that her daughter was struggling after being taken into custody and facing the reality of life behind bars.
“She’s just been transferred to another prison after getting a life sentence. It’s been a massive shock,” she explained in the interview.
Although a life sentence in the UAE often translates to 25 years in prison, the details of Mia’s case remain a mystery at this stage.
To try and support her daughter, Danielle set up a GoFundMe page, saying the donations would help cover Mia’s legal costs and also contribute toward the family’s travel expenses so they could visit her in Dubai.
“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,” the fundraiser explained.
“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.”
In a later update to the fundraiser, Danielle added: “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.”
Since then, however, the GoFundMe page has been taken down without any clear explanation as to why.
Before it was removed, the fundraiser had gathered just under $950 in donations, according to the Daily Mail.
“We are supporting the family of a British woman detained in the UAE and are in contact with the local authorities,” a spokesperson for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed.
Offences that can lead to a life sentence in the UAE range from drug trafficking and possession to human trafficking, murder or attempted murder, and even terrorism-related crimes.
“The penalties for trafficking, smuggling, using and possessing illegal drugs (including residual amounts) are severe. Sentences for drug trafficking can include the death penalty,” the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office warns on its website.