Mia O'Brien, 23, to Appeal 25-Year Dubai Sentence After One-Day Trial Conducted Entirely in Arabic

British law student Mia O'Brien, aged 23, is preparing to appeal a 25-year prison sentence handed down by a Dubai court after a one‐day hearing conducted entirely in Arabic. O'Brien, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted of drug possession in proceedings that her family and human rights observers have denounced as manifestly unfair.

Radha Stirling, founder of the advocacy group Detained in Dubai, has warned that Mia's case may exemplify systemic flaws in the UAE's justice system.

'Dubai police have a history of rushing to secure convictions without the rigorous evidentiary standards we expect in the UK. We've seen fabricated confessions, reliance on circumstantial evidence, and a disregard for due process,' Stirling said. She continued: 'Mia's case could be the latest in a long line of miscarriages of justice.'

The Case and the Sentence

According to advocacy reports, O'Brien was arrested in October 2024 when authorities allegedly found 50 grams of cocaine in her Dubai apartment, alongside a friend and that individual's boyfriend. She was tried on 25 July 2025 in a courtroom where no English translation was provided, and was swiftly convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison plus a large fine — effectively a life sentence under UAE law.

Despite her not guilty plea, she was denied procedural protections that would be typical in many other jurisdictions, including adequate translation services and access to legal counsel commensurate with the charges.

The trial lasted only one day, and her conviction came amid sharp criticism from her supporters regarding the handling of evidence, the speed of the case, and her rights during the proceedings.

Flawed Evidence & Questionable Practices

Stirling's criticisms echo concerns raised in prior cases of foreign nationals detained in the UAE. She has drawn parallels to the 2020 case of Derrin Crawford, a UK national arrested after cannabis was found in a flat she happened to visit. Though she tested negative, she was jailed for two months. Similarly, British Army veteran Andy Neal was jailed for over a year on drug trafficking charges before being fully exonerated when the evidence collapsed.

Stirling argues that O'Brien's conviction fits a pattern of coerced confessions, inadequate translation, and prejudicial assumptions by law enforcement. 'The UAE authorities have shown again and again that their investigations cannot be trusted,' she said, pressing the UK Foreign Office to issue stronger travel warnings and consular protection for nationals in the UAE.

Appeals in the UAE: Rare but Possible

While reports of appeal success in such harsh sentences are few, there are cases where pardons or reversals have occurred, though often only following diplomatic pressure or media scrutiny.

One example: Marte Deborah Dalelv, a Norwegian woman convicted in Dubai in 2013 for consensual sex, alcohol consumption, and false reporting, initially faced prison time. After media attention and diplomatic engagement, she was pardoned and released days later. Her case illustrated the emirate's occasional usage of mercy or royal pardon, especially in politically or reputationally sensitive situations.

Similarly, British academic Matthew Hedges was jailed on espionage charges in the UAE in 2018 and later pardoned after diplomatic intervention. Though Hedges's case was different in nature, it illustrated how high-profile cases involving foreign nationals sometimes see extraordinary executive relief.

However, such precedents offer little guarantee. Appeals in the UAE often proceed under opaque internal rules, and many heavily depend on royal clemency rather than full legal reconsideration. Observers caution that O'Brien faces long odds in overturning her sentence purely through judicial appeal.

The Diplomatic Imperative

Mia's family and human rights groups are now pressing the UK government to act decisively. Stirling calls on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to expand travel warnings about the UAE, emphasizing risks posed by local police practices, weak legal protections, and unfair trials.

There is also growing calls in the UK Parliament for more robust support for nationals detained abroad, including increased oversight and more rigorous consular intervention. The O'Brien case may prove a flashpoint in that broader debate.

For Mia O'Brien, the appeal represents the narrowest hope she has of overturning what many see as a gross miscarriage of justice. With her future on the line, scrutiny of Dubai's legal system — and how it treats foreign nationals — is bound to intensify.