A 23-year-old British law student has been sentenced to 25 years in Dubai’s Central Prison after authorities found 50 grams of cocaine, valued at about £2,700 (Rs. 1.03 million), during her stay in the United Arab Emirates.
Mia O’Brien, a University of Liverpool student, was arrested earlier this year while visiting friends in Dubai. Her family says she was denied a fair trial and is now enduring harsh conditions inside Al-Awir prison, a facility often compared to Alcatraz for its notorious reputation.
Her mother, Danielle McKenna, 46, told reporters that Mia pleaded not guilty, but the entire trial was conducted in Arabic, and her daughter only learned of the sentence later through her lawyer. In addition to the prison term, she was fined £100,000 (Rs. 38.19 million).
“She’s devastated by what has happened,” McKenna said. “She sleeps on a mattress on the floor with six others in the same cell. She has seen violence and feels very unsafe. There are barely any staff, and if she needs anything, she has to bang on the door.”
Human Rights Watch has previously reported that rape, assault, and other forms of abuse are common in Dubai’s Central Prison, with both inmates and guards implicated.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warns that even trace amounts of drugs can lead to severe punishment in the UAE. “Penalties for trafficking, smuggling, using, and possessing illegal drugs (including residual amounts) are severe. Sentences for drug trafficking can include the death penalty,” the FCDO notes.
In the UAE, simply having drugs in the bloodstream is considered possession, meaning travellers can be prosecuted without physically carrying any substances.
O’Brien’s family says she will appeal the sentence in the coming weeks. They initially tried to raise money through a GoFundMe campaign, but it was taken down for breaching the site’s rules. Her mother has since shared her personal bank details on Facebook to collect funds for legal costs.