Mum Launches New Fundraiser to Free British Law Student Jailed in Dubai
The mum of Mia O’Brien, a 21-year-old British law student from Huyton, Merseyside, has started a fresh fundraising drive after her first GoFundMe appeal was deleted. Mia is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in Dubai’s notorious Central Prison, after authorities found 50 grams of cocaine in her apartment.
GoFundMe Pulls Appeal Over “Criminality” Concerns
Mia’s mum, Danielle McKenna, hit out at GoFundMe for scrapping the initial campaign, accusing them of “nitpicking” and overreacting to the case’s criminal associations. “I am going to set up my own,” Danielle vowed. The new appeal will send all donations straight to Mia’s legal team without any platform fees.
‘Hellish’ Life Behind Bars in Dubai’s Alcatraz
Mia is reportedly enduring brutal conditions in Dubai Central Prison, often likened to the infamous Alcatraz. Following a one-day trial conducted entirely in Arabic, Mia was convicted despite pleading not guilty to intent to supply drugs.
Danielle described her daughter’s ordeal as a “living hell,” revealing that Mia shares a cramped cell with six other women, sleeping on a mattress on the floor. She added, “Mia is being really strong but I know she is going through a living hell.”
From Law Student to Lifelong Sentence
The incident dates back to last October when Mia visited a friend and her boyfriend. A police raid ensued, resulting in charges for all three. The family insists Mia’s punishment stems from a “very stupid mistake” and has shattered her dreams of becoming a lawyer.
Despite the harsh conditions, Mia keeps in touch with her family as much as possible while she battles the long legal fight ahead.
