West Australian woman jailed in Abu Dhabi for posting 'bad words' on social media
A West Australian woman has been jailed in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates because she wrote ‘bad words on social media’.
Jodi Magi, 39, shared a photo to Facebook she had taken of a car parked across two disabled car parks outside her apartment in Abu Dhabi.
Ms Magi, an artist who studied at Edith Cowan University and has been in Abu Dhabi since 2012, blanked out the licence plate number and did not post anything identifiable.
But a complaint landed her in court where she was found guilty of "writing bad words on social media about a person" and was told she’d be deported.
"I have zero idea [what I have done wrong]. I used the internet," Ms Magi told ABC.
She tried to voluntarily deport herself earlier this month and pay the $3600 fine, however authorities refused.
When she arrived at court to pay her fine she was arrested and jailed.
"No one's talking to me. No one's telling me what's going on," she told the ABC from the back of a police van.
After being detained, she was driven around in a car for about four hours.
"And they were about to put me in male lock up and then they turned me away - no one knows what to do with me," she said.
"I'm pretty scared."
It’s unknown how long authorities will hold Ms Magi.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is providing consular assistance to an Australian woman detained in Abu Dhabi.
But she said the local embassy only recommended that she seek help from a lawyer.
Ms Magi told ABC radio that the Australian government only appeared interested in its trade relationship.
"I was under the impressions that embassies were in countries to help citizens in times of difficulty," she said.
Consular officials are trying to speed up the deportation.
“Australians travelling overseas are subject to the laws of the country they are in, and consular officials can’t prevent the detention of Australians or retrieve their passport if it is held by local authorities,” a spokeswoman said.
