UAE signals, UK academic could be freed in ‘amicable solution’

The UAE signalled on Friday that a British academic jailed for life on spying charges could be freed after his family appealed for clemency.

Matthew Hedges was sentenced on Wednesday on charges of spying for the British government, in a move described as deeply disappointing by Prime Minister Theresa May.

“Hedges’ family have made a request for clemency and the government is studying that request,” the UAE’s ambassador to London, Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, said.

“Because of the strength of that relationship we are hopeful that an amicable solution can be reached,” he said.

Nikita Bernardi, a spokeswoman for the Hedges family had said earlier that Hedges had been sentenced to "life in prison following a five-minute hearing in which he had no legal representation."

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country was "determined to protect its important strategic relationship with a key ally" and added it hoped both sides could find "an amicable solution" to the case.

The country's Attorney General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi previously said Hedges had the right to appeal.

Abdulla Al Naqbi, head of the ministry's Department of Legal Affairs, said: "families also have the right to appeal for presidential clemency on behalf of convicted relatives".

In a statement, Al Naqbi said "compelling and powerful evidence was presented in court" and that this included Hedges' own confession.

Hedges was offered, and accepted, the services of a court-appointed lawyer and was also provided with translators, he said.

"It is not true that he was asked to sign documents he did not understand," Al Naqbi said.

UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt had marked the verdict as deeply shocking and disappointing.

He said that the UK government has been in close contact with Hedges and his family, and will continue to do "everything possible" to support him.

"I have repeatedly made clear that the handling of this case by the UAE authorities will have repercussions for the relationship between our two countries, which has to be built on trust," Hunt said.

"I regret the fact that we have reached this position and I urge the UAE to reconsider."