An Australian woman detained in Abu Dhabi for a Facebook post has been receiving consular assistance since May, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says.
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Jodi Magi, who has been arrested and jailed after posting a photo of a car parked across two disabled parking spaces, said the local embassy had provided no assistance to her, other than to recommend she get a lawyer.
But in a statement on Tuesday, DFAT appeared to reject Ms Magi's remarks and said the 39-year-old graphic designer had received "all appropriate consular assistance".
"Since 25 May, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been providing consular assistance to an Australian woman, Ms Jodi Magi, in the United Arab Emirates after she was sentenced for a cyber crimes offence," a DFAT spokeswoman said.
"Consular officials have provided all appropriate consular assistance to Ms Magi, in line with the Consular Services Charter, and have kept in close touch with Ms Magi, her husband and her lawyer."
The statement said Ms Magi had presented herself to a court in Abu Dhabi on July 12 to pay a court-ordered fine and was taken into custody while she awaits deportation to Australia.
"This is normal practice in Abu Dhabi," the spokeswoman said.
Consular officials were working with local authorities to expedite Ms Magi's departure, the statement continues.
Ms Magi blanked out the licence number of the vehicle and did not post any identifiable detail on Facebook, according to the ABC's PM program on Monday night.
But a complaint landed Ms Magi in an Abu Dhabi court, where she was found guilty of "writing bad words on social media about a person" and told she would be deported.
"I have zero idea [what I have done wrong]. I used the internet," Ms Magi told the ABC.
The photo appeared to have been removed from Ms Magi's Facebook page.
Ms Magi tried to voluntarily deport herself in early July and pay the roughly $3600 fine, but local authorities refused, until she presented herself at court.
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.
"...they were about to put me in male lock-up and then they turned me away and no one knows what to do with me.
"I'm pretty scared," she said.
It is not known how long Ms Magi will be held by Abu Dhabi authorities.
"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," DFAT's spokeswoman said.
"The Australian government's travel advice for the UAE warns that local laws that appear harsh by Australian standards nevertheless apply to Australian travellers or residents."
