dnr post the article here not clicking on this link
The mother of a British woman jailed for life in Dubai has been left “absolutely devastated” after learning about her daughter’s fate.
Mia O’Brien, 23, is reportedly being held in Al-Awir prison which is notorious for once being dubbed “Dubai’s version of Alcatraz”.
According to reports, Ms O’Brien landed the devastating sentence of 25 years behind bars after being found with 50 grams of cocaine at an apartment in Dubai. Ms O’Brien also must pay a $A206,000 fine for the crime, which involved about $A5125 worth of the drug.
Life sentences can be handed down for several reasons including drug trafficking and possession, murder or attempted murder, human trafficking and terrorism-related activities.
“She pleaded not guilty — they don’t have a just trial over there,” distraught mum Danielle McKenna, 46, told the Daily Mail from her home in Merseyside, northwest England.
“She was just given a life sentence and has to serve 25 years,” McKenna said of her once-promising daughter. “The trial was all in Arabic, and Mia was told of the sentence later by her lawyer.
“She is absolutely devastated by what has happened. Mia is being really strong, but I know she is going through a living hell.”
Mia is serving a life sentence in one of Dubai's most hellish prisons.
Mia is serving a life sentence in one of Dubai's most hellish prisons.
Law student Mia got ‘mixed up with the wrong so-called friends’ while at university, according to her mum.
Law student Mia got ‘mixed up with the wrong so-called friends’ while at university, according to her mum.
Ms McKenna, 46, initially announced her daughter’s daunting predicament through a GoFundMe page, which has now been deleted.
“Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai and she is now in central prison,” she wrote.
“As you can all probably imagine, as her mother I am absolutely devastated.
“I haven’t seen my daughter since last October.
“Mia is only 23 years old and has never done a bad thing in her life.
“This is a young girl, who went to university to do law, and unfortunately got mixed up in the wrong so-called friends and made a very stupid mistake and is now paying the price.
“So all I ask is if you can donate anything you can spare, even if it’s a £1 ($A2), it could help up massively and I would be forever grateful. Thank you so much.”
Danielle later thanked people for their donations, explaining the money would be used to cover legal fees and travel costs, allowing Mia’s family to visit.
After Mia’s story was covered by the media, the GoFundMe page mysteriously vanished.
It was later revealed that it had been deleted for violating the website’s guidelines.
Jailed 23-year-old Mia O'Brien pictured with her devastated mother Danielle McKenna (right).
Jailed 23-year-old Mia O'Brien pictured with her devastated mother Danielle McKenna (right).
A GoFundMe spokesperson said: “It was removed because it violates Term 9 of the Prohibited Conduct section in our Terms of Service.
“Term 9 prohibits raising funds on GoFundMe for the legal defence of certain alleged crimes.”
The fundraiser – which had a target of $A3296 – made just under $A1442 before it was removed.
Discussing her daughter’s state of mind, Danielle also 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.
“Mia said she has to sleep on a mattress on the floor and shares the cell with six others. The prison conditions are horrendous. There are no staff really, and she has to bang on a big door if she needs anything. She’s seen fights and said she has been really scared.”
Prison hell
Danielle said Mia has been locked up in “central prison” which is believed to be the Al-Awir prison in central Dubai.
The jail is used for both male and female convicts with them being separated once they step through the chilling gates.
Women make up one of the four blocks inside the huge jail, according to the British Government website.
Horror stories from inmates who have previously been locked up and those from the families still trapped behind bars paint a disturbing picture of Al-Awir.
In 2012, Karl Williams was imprisoned for a year after police found drugs in the boot of his hire car.
Mia's family are yet to say what she was found guilty of.
Mia's family are yet to say what she was found guilty of.
After Mia's story was covered by the press, her family's GoFundMe page mysteriously vanished.
After Mia's story was covered by the press, her family's GoFundMe page mysteriously vanished.
He compared the Al-Awir jail to the “Dubai version of Alcatraz” during his sentence.
In his memoir, he recalled seeing inmates being stabbed to death in violent clashes that were not stopped by guards.
In a statement, he said that his testicles had been electrocuted while he was interrogated by police.
“They pulled down my trousers, spread my legs and started to electrocute my testicles,” he wrote in the statement.
“It was unbelievably painful. I was so scared. I started to believe that I was going to die in that room.”
Their lawyers also said that the men were forced to sign documents in Arabic at gunpoint.
Karl claimed Russian gangsters ruled the prison wards and allegedly used HIV-positive inmates to rape and deliberately infect others as a form of punishment.
The Al-Awir prison is notorious for facing dozens of horror allegations of abuse, torture and rape from former inmates
The Al-Awir prison is notorious for facing dozens of horror allegations of abuse, torture and rape from former inmates
At least four HIV-positive prisoners at Al-Awir were allegedly denied medication up to five months, according to another shocking report by the Human Rights Watch.
British footballer Billy Hood made similar accusations as he said prisoners were tortured and left to die from diseases.
His claims were repeated in 2021 by Albert Douglas, 60, who told The Sun Online prisoners are raped, tortured and even starved by the cruel guards.
"The Al-Awir prison is notorious for facing dozens of horror allegations of abuse, torture and rape from former inmates"
Seems legit + wood
Seems legit + wood
W
No more chad cock for this whore
Dumb whore hope she kills herself in prison
A
If it were in her country she could kill a man and get a pat on the back as a sentence.
Real country, real justice. Thank you Dubai for standing up to western evil. Another Muslim W
This will be the worst thing for her.
I hope she serves every second of her sentence then dies just as the door opens on her last day.
Similar threads
Users who are viewing this thread
