British Law Student Faces 25 Years in Dubai for Cocaine Use, Sparks Global Outrage
A British law student’s dream holiday has turned into a nightmare after 23-year-old Mia O’Brien was sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined £100,000 in Dubai, following her reported use of a single line of cocaine.
Mia was arrested in October alongside a female friend and her friend’s boyfriend after Dubai police seized 50 grams of cocaine from a flat where a party was taking place. Despite claims that Mia was not dealing drugs, she was convicted in a one-day trial conducted entirely in Arabic, raising concerns about whether she received a fair hearing.
The young student is currently being held at Al Awir prison, notorious for overcrowding and poor conditions. Friends and inmates have described her as shocked by the severity of her punishment, believing she would face only a short sentence for personal use.
Her mother, Danielle McKenna, has spoken out about the ordeal, calling the outcome “devastating.” She has not seen her daughter since October and launched an online fundraiser to appeal the conviction, though it was removed by GoFundMe due to restrictions on raising money for legal defenses in criminal cases.
The case has sparked international debate, with critics calling the punishment “excessive” and raising questions about human rights in the UAE. Supporters say Mia made a foolish mistake, but argue that decades in prison is a disproportionate response.
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