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‘No ethics’: Jodi Magi’s parting shot at Abu Dhabi

ABC

ABC

An Australian woman arrested and jailed in Abu Dhabi after posting an image to Facebook has been deported from the United Arab Emirates, saying she was angered at the treatment of other women within the country’s justice system.

Western Australian Jodi Magi, 39, was arrested in June and sentenced for a cyber crimes offence after reportedly posting a photo on Facebook of a car parked across two disabled spots outside her Abu Dhabi apartment.

Before being deported on Tuesday, Ms Magi told the ABC that during her two days in jail she was shackled at the ankles, strip-searched and made to sleep on a concrete floor.

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“I have zero idea (what I have done wrong). I used the internet,” she told ABC.

Ms Magi was found guilty and told she would be deported and needed to pay a fine.

Jodi Magi was arrested when she went to pay the fine.

Jodi Magi was arrested when she went to pay the fine. Photo: ABC

But when she arrived to court at the weekend to pay the fine she was detained, jailed and not told how long she would be held in detention, she said.

Ms Magi wrote on her Facebook page on Wednesday morning (AEST) that she was taken to the airport late on Tuesday and flown out of the country.

“After 53 hours in custody, having been shackled at the ankles, strip-searched, blood tested, forced to sleep on a concrete floor without a mattress or pillow and having no access to toilet paper or eating utensils, I can happily say I AM SAFE & OUT OF JAIL AND ABU DHABI!” she wrote.

“I have nothing to complain about compared to the vast majority of women I met whose only crime was being poor, marrying the wrong guy, getting pregnant outside of marriage or/and being victims of rampant and systemic police corruption where ‘evidence’, ‘ethics’ and ‘due process’ are unheard of concepts.

“I know 1000 per cent after hearing their stories that I would never have been released in such a speedy fashion without a) my Australian nationality, b) the media coverage (surreal), c) the belated efforts of the embassy and d) all of the support from my friends as well as people I have never even met.”

While in detention Ms Magi had expressed concern she was not receiving assistance from the Australian consulate.

But on Tuesday Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she understood Ms Magi was being held in detention pending deportation from the Gulf state, and that she was receiving local assistance.

“I’m expecting her to be deported in a very short time, and Australian consular officials are providing her and her husband whatever support we can,” Ms Bishop said.

with AAP

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