LONDON — Matthew Hedges, the British academic who was sentenced last week to life in prison by the United Arab Emirates on spying charges, was pardoned on Monday “with immediate effect,” the Emirati government announced, after British officials lobbied to have him released.

The conviction of Mr. Hedges, and the severity of the sentence, had been met with outrage in Britain, where Prime Minister Theresa May promised to raise the issue with the United Arab Emirates at the “highest level.”

Both the British government and Mr. Hedges’s wife, Daniela Tejada, have denied that he was a British spy. Family members have said that he was made to sign a confession written in Arabic, which they said he does not read or speak.

Mr. Hedges, 31, a graduate student at Durham University in England, was pardoned by Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the emir of Abu Dhabi and president of the United Arab Emirates, the government said. A flight carrying him landed at London Heathrow Airport on Tuesday morning, Reuters reported.</s>Durham student accused of spying by UAE lands at Heathrow after being granted ‘gracious clemency’

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This article is more than 9 months old

A flight carrying British academic Matthew Hedges landed at London Heathrow airport on Tuesday morning, Reuters has reported, a day after he was pardoned in the United Arab Emirates from a life sentence for spying.

The UAE released Hedges, 31, on Monday after showing a video of him purportedly confessing to being a member of Britain’s MI6 intelligence agency. Britain has denied he was a spy and welcomed his pardon.

The move follows intense lobbying by the British foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, amid an international outcry that left the UAE scrambling to produce evidence to justify claims that Hedges was a spy.

At a press conference on Monday, the UAE continued to insist Hedges was an MI6 agent, and played video footage showing him apparently confessing that he had been trying to discover military secrets, including about the UAE’s weapons purchases.

Matthew Hedges: UAE insight 'could have made him target' Read more

The UAE said a “gracious clemency was granted on Sunday in response to a letter from the Hedges family bearing in mind the historical relationship between the UAE and the UK”.

A spokesman for the UAE’s national media council said hours after Hedges’ pardon was confirmed that he had been freed. UAE officials said it may take as long as two days for Hedges’ passport to be cleared for his departure back to the UK.

But Reuters reported he had boarded a flight to London in Dubai on Monday night.

Hedges’ wife, Daniela Tejada, welcomed the pardon. “The presidential pardon for Matt is the best news we could have received. Our six-plus months of nightmare are finally over and to say we are elated is an understatement. That he is returning home to me and the rest of his family is much more than I was ever expecting to happen this week.

“Without the involvement of the media, the overwhelming support of academics, the public worldwide, the work of the British diplomatic body in the UAE and Secretary Hunt’s intervention, this would have never happened.”

Daniela Tejada (@dtejadav) The presidential pardon for Matt is the best news we could’ve received. Thank you friends, family, media, academics, and the wider public for your undivided support - I’ve been brought back to life. pic.twitter.com/vruok0ST6O

Hunt said news of Hedges’ pardon was “bittersweet” given that fellow Briton Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe remains detained in Iran, also accused of spying.

He tweeted: “Fantastic news about Matthew Hedges. Although we didn’t agree with charges we are grateful to UAE govt for resolving issue speedily. But also a bittersweet moment as we remember Nazanin & other innocent ppl detained in Iran. Justice won’t be truly done until they too are safely home.”

Prof Stuart Corbridge, the vice-chancellor of Durham University, said: “We are absolutely delighted to learn the news of Matt’s impending release. It is paramount that he is now allowed to return home to Daniela and his family as quickly and safely as possible.”

The clemency was granted on Sunday by the UAE president, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and was one of more than 800 pardons granted by the Gulf state.

The short video clips shown by the UAE did not provide context but showed Hedges discussing how MI6 operates in the UAE, and apparently confessing to holding the rank of captain in MI6, a position that does not exist. The clips are not being shared by the UAE for wider broadcast.

They also purported to show Hedges confessing to researching the military systems the UAE was purchasing.

The bulk of the press conference was designed to defend the UAE’s judicial system and to justify claims that Hedges was indeed a spy, giving the UAE an opportunity to defend its international reputation.

UAE leaders have been angered at the attacks on its reputation, led by Tejada and backed by Hunt, who said he was shocked that Hedges had been jailed at a five-minute hearing last week. The UAE claims the brief hearing was just a formal announcement of the sentence, and not part of the trial itself.

Play Video 0:49 Wife of UK academic jailed by UAE 'elated' by news of pardon – video

The press conference began with a spokesman detailing the charges against Hedges, the seriousness of the case, and the belief that the UAE was right to have charged him.

He claimed Hedges “had sought information on the ruling families and their networks” and was seeking “to gather classified information on the UAE military and political role in Yemen”.

He said these would be considered serious threats to the national security of any country, and that the information collected went far beyond standard academic practice.

“In fact, Mr Hedges took advantage of the openness granted academic researchers in this country. We are a country that hosts branches of some of the world’s finest academic institutes and we pride ourselves in our contribution to scientific advancement and academic pursuits.”

He said the investigation found Hedges had used two different identities to gather information from his “targets”: a PhD researcher, and a businessman.

“He was a part-time PhD researcher, a part-time businessman, but he was a 100% full-time secret service operative.

“Hedges has been found guilty of espionage. He sought out sensitive information. He knew he had access to it. He was here to steal sensitive national security secrets for his paymasters.”

With the UAE being a close trading partner of the UK and its leading political ally in the Gulf, the case had the potential to cause a major rift between the two countries.

The UAE’s foreign affairs minister, Anwar Gargash, said: “It was always a UAE hope that this matter would be resolved through the common channels of our longstanding partnership. This was a straightforward matter that became unnecessarily complex despite the UAE’s best efforts.”

He said the case against Hedges was based on evidence secured from his electronic devices, surveillance and intelligence gathering by UAE agencies, and evidence provided by Hedges himself, “including a corroborated account of asset recruitment and training and the confidential information being targeted. His recruitment and progress within a foreign intelligence service was authenticated to the court by UAE intelligence agencies.”

Hedges’ release was announced ahead of UAE national day, when traditionally prisoners are granted pardons.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Matthew Hedges and his wife Daniela Tejada. Photograph: Daniela Tejada/EPA

Reacting to the news of Hedges’ release, academics and their representatives said universities must review how they operated in Gulf countries.

The University and College Union’s head of policy and campaigns, Matt Waddup, said: “UK universities with overseas operations should launch reviews covering human rights, trade union representation, academic freedom and ensuring that local workers employed by the institution are not exploited. It is vital that the profits from overseas operations are not achieved on the back of the dilution of staff and student rights and personal safety.”

David Wearing, a teaching fellow in international relations at Royal Holloway, University of London, said: “It remains clear that legitimate intellectual activity is impossible in the UAE, and it isn’t ethically tenable for UK universities to blithely accept that. They should demand guarantees of equivalent academic freedom to that enjoyed in the UK, or they should pull out.

“What I expect to happen, however, is that corporate managers will breathe a sigh of relief that this PR problem has gone away, and return to business as usual.”

Marc Owen Jones, an assistant professor of Middle East studies at Hamad bin Khalifa University in Qatar, said: “The issue is not really that Matthew got a life sentence, but that it got to the point where he had already spent months in terrible conditions before public pressure helped to release him.

“There’s no guarantee at all that other academics will not be afforded the same treatment. So what safeguards can universities actually have that academic freedom will be upheld, especially given the context of the UAE as a close British ally?”

• This article was amended on 28 November 2018 to give the full name of Royal Holloway, University of London.</s>Matthew Hedges has been pardoned by the UAE.

It comes as a video showing the Durham University student 'confessing to being a member of MI6 is released

The UAE has reportedly released a video showing the jailed Durham student "admitting he's a member of MI6".

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt spoke to the foreign minister of the UAE on Sunday.

Matthew could now be released on December 2, the national day of the UAE.

His wife, Daniela Tejada, said she and the rest of his family were "elated" at the news he was to be freed.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's taken me by surprise and I'm just so happy and so relieved and really incredulous that it is all happening finally.

"It's been an absolutely nightmarish seven months already and I can't wait to have him back."

Mr Hedges, a 31-year-old doctoral student at Durham University was sentenced to life in prison last week on spying charges.

He was arrested at Dubai airport in May and had been held on solitary confinement until his trial which sentences him to 25 years imprisonment followed by deportation.

Matthew, who is originally from Exeter, was studying for a PHD in Middle Eastern Studies at Durham University's School of Government and International affairs.

His research interests are listed on the University's website and include: changing nature of war, civil-military relations, defence industrialisation and Middle Eastern politics.

After Matthew was sentenced, his wife Daniela slammed the British Government for failing him and ignoring her pleas for help.

However, after meeting with Mr Hunt she said she was more 'hopeful' a solution would be found.

She said: "I am very hopeful that the UAE rulers will take into consideration Matt's family and my plea for his freedom."</s>The United Arab Emirates on Monday pardoned a British researcher who was sentenced last week to life in prison for spying, an official statement said.

Matthew Hedges was among more than 700 prisoners pardoned by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on the occasion of National Day.

"Mr. Hedges will be permitted to leave the UAE once formalities are completed," the statement said.</s>British academic Matthew Hedges, who was jailed for life in the United Arab Emirates on a spying charge last week, has been pardoned.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the news, announced at a press conference in the UAE on Monday, was “fantastic”.

The 31-year-old, originally from Exeter, was arrested at Dubai Airport as he tried to leave the country on May 5.

Speaking at the press conference, a UAE official said the country stands by the charges against Mr Hedges, but that the academic was being pardoned, alongside 784 other prisoners, as part of the UAE’s 47th National Day.

The spokesman said Mr Hedges was “100% a full-time secret service operative” who was in the country “to steal the UAE’s sensitive security national secrets for his paymasters”.

He said the Briton’s pardon was in response to a letter from his family appealing for clemency and due to the historical close ties between the UK and UAE.

“His Highness has decided to include Mr Matthew Hedges among the 785 prisoners released,” he said.

“Mr Hedges will be permitted to leave the country once all the formalities are complete.”

UAE minister of state for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash said the pardon would allow the UAE and UK to “return our focus to the underlying fundamental strength of the UAE-UK bilateral relationship”, the WAM Emirates news agency reported.

Dr Gargash said: “His Highness the President’s gracious clemency in the customary National Day pardons allows us to return our focus to the underlying fundamental strength of the UAE-UK bilateral relationship and its importance to the international community.

“It was always a UAE hope that this matter would be resolved through the common channels of our longstanding partnership. This was a straightforward matter that became unnecessarily complex despite the UAE’s best efforts.”

Mr Hunt said news of Mr Hedges’ pardon was “bittersweet” given that Briton Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe remains detained in Iran, also accused of spying.

He tweeted: “Fantastic news about Matthew Hedges. Although we didn’t agree with charges we are grateful to UAE govt for resolving issue speedily. But also a bittersweet moment as we remember Nazanin & other innocent ppl detained in Iran. Justice won’t be truly done until they too are safely home.”</s>The United Arab Emirates said on Monday it pardoned and released a British academic sentenced to life in prison on charges of spying in the Gulf Arab country, after showing videos of him purportedly acknowledging that he worked for MI6, the overseas arm of British intelligence.

The announcement of Matthew Hedges' release ends a diplomatic headache for the UAE, a staunch American and British ally in the Mideast.

However, Emirati officials made a point of insisting their arrest came on solid ground, showing a closed-door meeting of journalists hastily convened in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, short video clips of Hedges allegedly acknowledging his intelligence work.

"He was a part-time PhD researcher, a part-time businessman, but he was a 100-percent a full-time secret service operative," said Jaber al-Lamki, an official with the UAE's National Media Council.

"Mr. Hedges has been found guilty of espionage. He sought out sensitive information he knew had access to it. He was here to steal the UAE's sensitive national security secrets for his paymasters," al-Lamki added.

Daniela Tejada, Hedges' wife, told BBC that she does not believe her husband is a spy, saying the ordeal has "been an absolutely nightmarish seven months."

"I can't wait to have him back" she said and added, "in my heart, I know that he isn't a spy."

Asked about her husband being pardoned, rather than having the spying conviction quashed, Tejada said that "if that is what it takes for him to be back, I just welcome the news."

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt also welcomed the decision on Hedges, tweeting it was "fantastic news." He said Britain did not agree with the charges against Hedges but added that it is "grateful to UAE government for resolving issue speedily."

"We've seen no evidence to support these accusations," Hunt said, adding that the U.K. is "deeply perplexed" by the charge leveled against Hedges.

Hunt had lobbied senior UAE official for Hedges' release. The UAE came under increasing international pressure since the academic's life sentence was handed down last week.

"Today we want to thank them (the UAE) for the fact that they've reflected upon the strong representations we have made," Hunt said Monday.

UAE President and Abu Dhabi ruler Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued the clemency for Hedges on Sunday, along with over 780 others to mark the country's forthcoming National Day. In his statement, al-Lamki said Hedges had routine access to doctors and lawyers, while British Embassy officials attended his court hearing.

Al-Lamki declined to take any questions from journalists at the news conference. Al-Lamki later said at 3 p.m. on Monday that Hedges had been released, without elaborating.

Emirati officials insisted Hedges' arrest was warranted, showing short clips of him being questioned and being in court.

In the video, Hedges, a 31-year-old doctorate student in Middle Eastern studies at Durham University, is seen describing himself as a "captain" in MI6 during what appears to be a court hearing somewhere in the Gulf Arab country.

However, MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service, is not known to use military ranks. The service is similar to the CIA in that it handles covert overseas intelligence collection and analysis.

Another clip appears to show Hedges speaking to someone in an office, describing his work as trying to understand UAE weapon purchases and strategy. He says he describes himself as an academic as "it helps the research to go in in an easy way."

Hedges then snaps his fingers and adds: "Then it becomes MI6."

Emirati officials did not allow journalists to record the videos. In the office video, Hedges appears in a blue polo shirt and jeans. He did not appear to be injured or under duress, though the audio during the court appearance sounded garbled. Emirati officials also did not offer any context for the video clips, which ended with Hedges describing himself as being alone in the UAE, looking down at his hands.

Associated Press writers Jill Lawless and Gregory Katz in London and Fay Abuelgasim in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.</s>The United Arab Emirates on Monday pardoned a British researcher who was sentenced last week to life in prison for spying in a case that shocked Britain.

Matthew Hedges was among more than 700 prisoners pardoned by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on the occasion of National Day.

"Mr. Hedges will be permitted to leave the UAE once formalities are completed," an official statement said.

The UAE showed footage at a news conference in which Hedges purportedly confessed to being an MI6 foreign intelligence agent.

A UAE official said that the presidential pardon came in response to a letter by Hedges's family delivered by a British official.

Hedges was sentenced to life in jail by a court in Abu Dhabi last week after he was convicted of spying for a foreign country.

The UAE official said that Hedges was "a 100-percent secret service agent and was convicted of espionage."

He said Hedges confessed to gathering information about the UAE ruling family, military and its involvement in the Yemen war.

Hedges was arrested on May 5 at Dubai airport.

A lawyer had been appointed to defend Hedges who was also allowed to speak to his family repeatedly during his detention, the official said.

UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash said the pardon allowed the two countries to refocus to developing their relations.

"It was always a UAE hope that this matter would be resolved through the common channels of our longstanding partnership. This was a straightforward matter that became unnecessarily complex despite the UAE's best efforts," he said in a statement.

"Fantastic news about Matthew Hedges. Although we didn't agree with charges we are grateful to UAE govt for resolving issue speedily," Hunt said on Twitter.</s>Matthew Hedges has been pardoned by the UAE.

Matthew, a 31-year-old doctoral student at Durham University was sentenced to life in prison last week on spying charges after being arrested at Dubai airport in May.

The UAE has reportedly released a video showing the jailed Durham student "admitting he's a member of MI6".

After Matthew was sentenced, his wife Daniela slammed the British Government for failing him and ignoring her pleas for help.

However, after meeting with Mr Hunt she said she was more 'hopeful' a solution would be found.

Matthew could now be released on December 2, the national day of the UAE.

Matthew, who is originally from Exeter, was studying for a PHD in Middle Eastern Studies at Durham University's School of Government and International affairs.</s>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.

ABU DHABI/DUBAI: 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 UK intelligence agency MI6.

The UAE president issued the pardon as part of a mass clemency of more than 700 prisoners to mark the country's National Day, according to a statement carried by state news agency WAM.

The pardon was effective immediately and Matthew Hedges, a 31-year-old doctoral student at Durham University held for more than six months, will be allowed to leave the country "once formalities are completed," the statement said.

Britain's foreign minister welcomed the move, saying the UK government had not agreed with the charges against Hedges but was grateful to the UAE for resolving the issue speedily.

The UAE had signalled on Friday that it was working on an "amicable solution" to the issue after London described the sentencing days prior as deeply disappointing.

Hedges has been held since May 5, when he was arrested at Dubai International Airport after a two-week research visit.

Minutes before the pardon was announced, a government spokesman showed journalists a video of Hedges purporting to confess to being a member of MI6 researching which military systems the UAE was buying.

In the video, Hedges said he had approached sources as a doctoral student as a cover.

His family and university have cast Hedges 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.

"The family and I welcome the news of the presidential pardon and cannot wait to have Matt back home," Hedges' wife Daniela Tejada said after the pardon.</s>Matthew Hedges, a British PhD student sentenced to life in jail over spying for the UK government, is to be released immediately after being pardoned by the UAE, who says he confessed to being a member of MI6.

Hedges was sentenced to life in prison last week on spying charges in a court in Abu Dhabi. UAE officials have reportedly released a video showing the 31-year-old doctoral student “admitting he’s a member of MI6,” according to the Mirror.

The Durham University student from Exeter in Devon was arrested in the UAE on May 5, after conducting a two-week research project for his doctoral thesis.

Matthew's wife Daniela Tejeda, who has maintained that her husband denies all spying charges said: "We welcome news of the presidential pardon and cannot wait to have Matt back home."

Dr. Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said: "His Highness the President’s gracious clemency in the customary National Day pardons allows us to return our focus to the underlying fundamental strength of the UAE/UK bi-lateral relationship and its importance to the international community.

"It was always a UAE hope that this matter would be resolved through the common channels of our longstanding partnership. This was a straightforward matter that became unnecessarily complex despite the UAE’s best efforts," according to WAM.

Hedges case sparked a diplomatic row between the UK and UAE, with Tajeda accusing the British government of “putting their UAE interests above a citizen’s rightful freedom.”

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has welcomed the news of the PhD student’s release, insisting that “Although we didn’t agree with charges we are grateful to UAE govt for resolving issue speedily.”

Hedges’ hearing only lasted five minutes and his lawyer was not present, according to a spokesperson for the family. The student had 30 days to appeal his convictions of spying and sharing sensitive security and intelligence information to third parties.

A life sentence in the UAE includes a maximum of 25 years in jail and can be followed by deportation.

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Matthew Hedges, the British student who was sentenced last week by a judge in the United Arab Emirates to life in prison on espionage charges, is pardoned and released by authorities. The UAE maintains that he was an MI6 agent.