A fundraising campaign launched to help a British woman jailed for life in Dubai has been removed from GoFundMe after breaching the platform’s rules.
Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton in Liverpool, is being held in Dubai’s central prison after what her family described as a “very stupid mistake.”
Her mother Danielle McKenna, 46, set up the page in a desperate plea for help with legal fees and travel costs so relatives could visit her.
The fundraiser had gathered support before it was suddenly removed this week, leaving the family distraught.
A spokesperson for GoFundMe confirmed the removal, saying it violated Term 9 of the platform’s prohibited conduct policy.
That section specifically bans campaigns that raise money for the legal defence of certain alleged crimes.
In her original message on the site, McKenna said she was “absolutely devastated” by her daughter’s imprisonment.
She wrote: “Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai and she is now in central prison. As her mother, I am heartbroken. I haven’t seen my daughter since last October.”
McKenna added that Mia had studied law at university but fell in with “the wrong so-called friends” before making what she called a “very stupid mistake.”
The Liverpool mother urged people to donate “even £1” to help the family cope with mounting costs linked to the case.
She explained that funds would have been used for lawyers as well as for visits to Dubai, where Mia is expected to serve her sentence.
The sudden removal of the fundraiser has added to the anguish felt by the family, who had already been overwhelmed by the length of the sentence.
In the UAE, a life term typically means between 15 and 25 years behind bars, rather than an indefinite stay in prison.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the exact charge, but life sentences are usually imposed for drug trafficking, violent crime, or terrorism-related offences.
The UK’s Foreign Office stresses that the Emirates apply a zero-tolerance approach to drugs. Even tiny traces in a person’s bloodstream can lead to prosecution.
Officials warn that possession of small amounts of drugs can carry a minimum three-month jail term or fines ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 UAE dirham.
Those convicted of trafficking face far harsher sentences, including the possibility of the death penalty.
An FCDO spokesperson confirmed: “We are supporting the family of a British woman detained in the UAE and remain in contact with the local authorities.”
McKenna has since thanked those who initially donated, but said the family remains “in shock” as they attempt to navigate the legal system and cope with the reality of her daughter’s incarceration.
