UAE signals jailed UK academic could be freed in 'amicable solution'

[rooster59]

UAE signals jailed UK academic could be freed in 'amicable solution'

By Michael Holden and Guy Faulconbridge

 

United Arab Emirates Ambassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui addresses the media at the UAE embassy in London, Britain, November 23, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates signalled on Friday a British academic it jailed for life on spying charges could be freed after his family appealed for clemency in a case that has strained ties between the longstanding allies.

 

Matthew Hedges, 31, was sentenced on Wednesday on charges of spying for the British government, in a move described as deeply disappointing by Prime Minister Theresa May.

 

"Mr 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.

 

"We have an extremely close partnership with the UK," he told reporters. "Because of the strength of that relationship we are hopeful that an amicable solution can be reached."

 

The doctoral student at Durham University has been held since May 5, when he was arrested at Dubai International Airport after a two-week research visit.

 

"We have asked for clemency - we will wait to see what happens," Hedges' wife Daniela Tejada told Reuters after the ambassador spoke. She denies he is a spy.

 

His family have cast him as a talented researcher who fell foul of the UAE's security and justice system. The UAE cast him as a British spy who was given a fair trial for grave espionage offences.

 

"We hope the UAE now looks favourably on the family’s request for clemency," a spokeswoman for Britain's Foreign Office said.

 

PARDON

 

The Gulf state does not dictate verdicts to its courts and there was full and proper legal process in Hedges' case, the ambassador said. There had not been a "five minute show trial" as he said some media had reported.

 

"This was an extremely serious case. We live in a dangerous neighbourhood and national security must be a top priority," said Almazroui, adding that everyone had the right to request a pardon.

 

"This was an unusual case: many researchers visit the UAE freely every year without breaking our laws," he said.

 

Hedges' family said the evidence presented against him consisted of notes from his dissertation research.

 

"Matt was held in an undisclosed location in solitary confinement for over 5 months, with no charge, no lawyer and very limited consular access," his wife said.

 

"The judicial system in the UAE and the UK cannot be compared. I was in the courtroom and the hearing lasted less than 5 minutes," she added.

 

A life sentence for a non-Emirati entails a maximum of 25 years in jail followed by deportation, according to UAE state-run media.

 

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt had warned that the verdict could hurt relations with the UAE.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-24

[Briggsy]

He has already been locked up in solitary confinement for 6 months. Lots of damage done.

 

Both the press and the Foreign Office have been very quiet on this, in contrast to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who is held by the Iranians.

[Toosetinmyways]

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

He has already been locked up in solitary confinement for 6 months. Lots of damage done.

 

Both the press and the Foreign Office have been very quiet on this, in contrast to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who is held by the Iranians.

Too many UAE nations living and spending money in the UK.

Money Money Money to quote an ABBA song.

[dabhand]

Seems that intelligence does not preclude the incidence of naivety. Going to most countries and asking questions; of locals, about internal security issues is not a particularly well thought out idea, more so those in the volatile ME region.

 

His UK university professor was interviewed a number of times by BBC/CNN and expressed surprise at what happened to his PHD student. Unfortunately that says far more about him and his lack of understanding of the world outside his academic bubble, particularly given the recent death of an Italian postgrad student from Cambridge who suffered a far worse fate in Egypt.

 

Yes, the Dubai authorities have probably over-reacted, but given the current state of play in that part of the world and their on-going disputes with Iran and Qatar it is really no surprise. Word is that the student had previously researched the Muslim Brotherhood, now that would have been a definite red flag to the Emiratis. Meantime the FCO is left to pick up the pieces from an act of stupidity. 

[bristolboy]

8 minutes ago, dabhand said:

Seems that intelligence does not preclude the incidence of naivety. Going to most countries and asking questions; of locals, about internal security issues is not a particularly well thought out idea, more so those in the volatile ME region.

 

His UK university professor was interviewed a number of times by BBC/CNN and expressed surprise at what happened to his PHD student. Unfortunately that says far more about him and his lack of understanding of the world outside his academic bubble, particularly given the recent death of an Italian postgrad student from Cambridge who suffered a far worse fate in Egypt.

 

Yes, the Dubai authorities have probably over-reacted, but given the current state of play in that part of the world and their on-going disputes with Iran and Qatar it is really no surprise. Word is that the student had previously researched the Muslim Brotherhood, now that would have been a definite red flag to the Emiratis. Meantime the FCO is left to pick up the pieces from an act of stupidity. 

Sure it was Hedges being stupid and not the government of the UAE. Good to remember that these clowns are stalwart backers of and advisors to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.

[grumpy 4680]

        An amicable solution means Blackmail,  This guy was obviously going round asking the wrong questions to the wrong people, Spy's don't operate that way.  So he honestly stated what he was doing, but without any legal representation, those numb nuts concluded he must be a spy.

       And being in a corrupt region, any thing they can use as a bargaining chip is a bonus. Sod their oil and money. they want cutting off from the civilized world.

[Basil B]

42 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Sure it was Hedges being stupid and not the government of the UAE. Good to remember that these clowns are stalwart backers of and advisors to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.

and are you sure he was not asked by an MI6 recruiter to report back on certain aspects of the UAE security operations while doing his research?

 

Even if he was spying, he was just a pawn in a big chess game and it certainly life in prison is unjust, normally  he would traded for another spy, but we do not have anyone to trade him for, my thoughts are the deal would be on the lines of some order for some fighter jets that were being build and due for delivery in next year or so that say would be to 2010 spec now will be upgraded to 2015 spec, the real solution to this how do you release him without either country losing face?

 

 

[grumpy 4680]

         Saving face is a ridiculous issue, there's absolutely no harm in admitting when your wrong.

[Basil B]

Presidential Pardon...

Quote

British academic Matthew Hedges, who was jailed for spying in the United Arab Emirates, has been pardoned with immediate effect.

Mr Hedges, 31, denied spying and said he had been researching his PhD, but prosecutors said he confessed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46341310

[webfact]

UPDATE:

 

UAE pardons British academic sentenced to life for spying - WAM

 

British academic Matthew Hedges, who has been jailed for spying in the UAE, is seen in this undated photo supplied by his wife Daniela Tejada. Photo supplied on November 23, 2018. Daniele Tajada/Handout via REUTERS

 

DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates on Monday pardoned a British academic jailed for life on spying charges, granting his family's request for clemency minutes after showing a video of him purportedly confessing to being a member of Britain's intelligence agency MI6.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1070410-uae-pardons-british-academic-matthew-hedges-sentenced-to-life-for-spying-wam/