UK warns UAE for jailing doctoral student for life over spying

Britain has warned the United Arab Emirates of “repercussions” after a  court in Abu Dhabi sentenced British student Matthew Hedges to life in jail after convicting him of spying.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said Wednesday that a UAE court’s decision to sentence Matthew Hedges to life on charges of espionage for London was deeply disappointing.

“We are of course deeply disappointed and concerned at today’s verdict,” said May while speaking at the British parliament.

UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt also warned that the sentence could threaten relations between Britain and the UAE and urged Abu Dhabi to reconsider.

“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 in a statement.

“We have seen no evidence to back up charges against him ... UAE claim to be friend & ally of the UK so there will be serious diplomatic consequences. Unacceptable,” Hunt said in a tweet.

Hedges, a 31-year-old doctoral student at Durham University in northern England, was arrested at Dubai International Airport on May 5, two weeks after he went to the UAE to carry out research on the Arab country's foreign and internal security policies.

“Today’s verdict is not what we expect from a friend and trusted partner of the United Kingdom and runs contrary to earlier assurances,” said Hunt in a statement while reiterating that he and May would raise the case at the highest levels of the UAE government.

Britain has been a key arms supplier to the UAE, a country of four small emirates in the Persian Gulf region which enjoys huge oil revenues.

London has also supported UAE’s contribution to Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen, an illegal military campaign which has killed more than 15,000 people since it started three years ago.

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Hedges’ family has indicated that the court in the UAE had used notes from his dissertation research as evidence that he was spying on behalf of the British government.

Daniela Tejada, his wife, said Wednesday that Hedges’ lawyer was not present at the hearing, which lasted less than five minutes and was closed to the public and the media.

“I am in complete shock and I don’t know what to do. Matthew is innocent,” said Tejada.

Hedges was shaking when he heard the verdict, she said.

According to the UAE rules, foreigners sentenced to life would be held for 25 years before their deportation. The Wednesday ruling is not final and can be appealed within 30 days.

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