Durham student accused of spying by UAE lands at Heathrow after being granted ‘gracious clemency’

This article is more than 9 months old

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 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. 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. “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.
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.