'I'm terrified': Australian artist thrown in jail in Abu Dhabi for 'writing bad words on social media' after she posted picture of a driver parked in a disabled spot on Facebook
- An Australian woman has been arrested and jailed in Abu Dhabi
- Jodi Magi, 39, posted an image to social media of a car parked across two disabled spaces outside her apartment block
- Ms Magi blacked out the number plate but was reported to police
- She was found guilty of 'writing bad words' on social media
- She spent Sunday night in prison and has no idea how long she will be behind bars
- Ms Magi moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2012 with her partner
An Australian woman has been arrested and jailed in Abu Dhabi after posting a picture of a car parked in a disabled spot and 'writing bad words on social media.'
Jodi Magi, 39, uploaded an image of a car parked across two disability spaces outside her apartment block in February. She was later reported to police but was not jailed until Sunday.
After spending a night in prison and reportedly signing untranslated Arabic documents, she is unsure how long she will be held for.
'No one's talking to me. No one's telling me what's going on,' she told The ABC.
Scroll down for video
An Australian woman has been arrested and jailed in Abu Dhabi for 'writing bad words on social media'
The picture, originally posted on her Facebook page, has since been deleted.
The ABC reported that Ms Magi's aim was to draw attention to the selfish act of an able person taking up disabled parking spaces. She even took the caution of blacking out the number plate.
But that was not enought to satisfy officials. She was found guilty of 'writing bad words on social media about a person' two weeks ago and informed that she may be deported.
She tried to deport herself, but authorities told her she could not leave without presenting herself to court and could end up in jail.
'I'm putting my life in the hands of chaos. I'm terrified,' she said.
After being reported to police, she was found guilty of 'writing bad words on social media about a person'
After uploading an oil painting of a zebra behind prison bars on Sunday night to her Facebook page, Ms Magi received an influx of comments from friends and well wishers
She tried to deport herself, but authorities told her she could not leave without presenting herself to court
Ms Magi said that the Australian embassy in Abu Dhabi had merely told her to seek the advice of a lawyer and have not provided any further assistance.
The 39-year-old detailed living in a '60 floor sky-scraper with windows which barely open overlooking city and desert in the Middle East,' on her blog in June.
According to her blog, Ms Magi was previously a graphic designer in Melbourne and Perth before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 2012 with her partner.
She found work teaching local Emirati women skills in graphic design and illustration at Zayed University while also focusing on her own artistic endeavours.
According to her blog, Ms Magi was previously a graphic designer in Melbourne and Perth before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 2012
She found work teaching local Emirati women skills in graphic design and illustration at Zayed University
After uploading an oil painting of a zebra behind prison bars on Sunday night to her Facebook page, Ms Magi received an influx of comments from friends and well wishers.
'You are a brave girl! Stay strong,' one read.
The ABC asked The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Australian Government would be providing any assistance to Ms Magi.
'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continues to provide consular assistance to an Australian woman detained in Abu Dhabi,' and that for privacy reasons they cannot provide any more information, they said in a statement.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted DFAT for further comment.
- Shocking moment surfer fights off shark on live TV
- Harrowing moment couple watch MH17 victims fall from the sky
- Surfer Mick Fanning speaks immediately after shark attack
- Archive footage shows young Queen being taught Nazi salute
- Shocking moment groom performs backflip and floors his bride
- Pickup truck driver arrested after crash kills four...
- Reporter describes horror crash which killed four bridemaids
- Julian Wilson in tears as he recounts Mick Fanning shark...
- Da Vinci, the Chestnut foal, always has a horse on his back
- GRAPHIC: Klan members hurl racist abuse at protesters
- Is this the shark that later attacked Mick Fanning at J-Bay?
- John Oliver hits out at Donald Trump on Last Week Tonight
- Pictured: The four smiling friends killed in birthday party...
- 'Drunk' driver who plowed into limo and killed four women...
- 'It's an unthinkable tragedy': Demi Moore reveals 'shock' at...
- Now the Royal family faces TV 'Nazi' exposé: As Palace...
- Violent clashes expected in South Carolina as Ku Klux Klan...
- Florida tollbooth worker, 77, gets fired after 30 years on...
- 'I was waiting for the teeth to come': The jaw-dropping...
- Tech CEO worth $820million lives with his pet alpaca in a...
- And the Gods finally answer! Heavens open in California as...
- 'It's raining bodies': Harrowing new video captures the...
- North Korea as you've NEVER seen it before: New 360-degree...
- Husband films pregnant wife calmly giving birth AND...