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Agence France-Presse

The United Arab Emirates on Monday pardoned British academic Matthew Hedges just days after sentencing him to life in prison for spying in a case that stunned Britain and his family.
The UK thanked its Gulf ally and Hedges’s wife expressed her joy after he was among more than 700 prisoners pardoned by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan for next month’s National Day.

“Mr Hedges will be permitted to leave the UAE once formalities are completed,” Jaber al-Lamki, a government media official, said in a statement.
The UAE showed footage at a news conference in the capital Abu Dhabi in which Hedges purportedly confessed to being an MI6 foreign intelligence agent.
In the video, Hedges describes himself as a captain in MI6 during what appears to be a court hearing in the Gulf Arab country.
Another clip appears to show Hedges speaking to someone in an office and saying: “It helps the research to go in … in an easy way.”

Then, Hedges is seen snapping his fingers and adds: “Then it becomes MI6.”
Emirati officials did not allow journalists to record the video.
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt expressed gratitude to the oil-rich state, which London considers a strategic Middle East ally and supplies with British arms.
“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.

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.
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) 26 November 2018

In the video, Hedges says his mission was to find out what military equipment the UAE was buying.
Hedges’s wife Daniela Tejada, who last saw him on the day he was sentenced, said in a statement: “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.”
Asked by BBC radio about the UAE’s repeated accusation that Hedges was a spy, Colombia-born Tejada said: “In my heart, I know that he isn’t.”
British spies ‘hacked Belgian telecoms firm for minister’
But she added: “If that’s what it takes for him to be back, I welcome the news.”
Hunt said on BBC radio of the spying charges: “We have never seen any evidence that they are true.”
He said he expected Hedges to be released “very soon indeed”, adding it was a “bittersweet moment” because of other Britons detained unjustly around the world.

Hedges, a 31-year-old researcher at Durham University, was detained in Dubai while researching the UAE’s foreign and internal security policies after the Arab spring revolutions of 2011.
He was sentenced to life in jail by a court in Abu Dhabi last week after he was convicted of spying for a foreign country.
Lamki said Hedges was “a 100-per cent 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.
Tinker, banker, swindler, spy? Britain’s most-wanted ‘con man’ finally captured after six-year manhunt across Europe
“He confirmed he collected sensitive and classified information about the UAE,” he said, calling the evidence “irrefutable”.
The role of Hedges was “to gather classified information about the UAE military capabilities … and sensitive information on UAE key government figures including members of the UAE ruling families”, he said.

Hedges was arrested on May 5 at Dubai airport.
Lamki said a lawyer had been appointed to defend Hedges who was also allowed to speak to his family repeatedly during his detention.
The presidential pardon came in response to a letter from his family delivered by a British official, Lamki said.
Top EU rights court says UK’s mass spying violated privacy laws
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 long-standing partnership. This was a straightforward matter that became unnecessarily complex despite the UAE’s best efforts,” he said in a statement.
Additional reporting by Associated Press


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Espionage

Briton detained in Abu Dhabi ‘confesses’ in video to be on MI6 mission, but is pardoned by UAE

File photo of Matthew Hedges in London with his wife Daniela Tejada. Photo by HO/Daniela Tejada/AFP

FILE - In this undated family photo, showing Matthew Hedges with his wife Daniela Tejada. The United Arab Emirates has pardoned British academic researcher Matthew Hedges who was arrested May 5, 2018, at Dubai Airport and subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison for alleged espionage. (Daniela Tejada via AP, FILE)

epa07190401 Jaber Al Lamki (C), Executive Director Media & Strategic Communication of National Media Council talks to media about British citizen Matthew Hedges who was convicted of spying for a foreign country at the United Arab Emirates, during press briefing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 26 November 2018. Hedges has been pardoned by a presidential decree and he is due to be released later. EPA-EFE/ALI HAIDER

epa07190391 Jaber Al Lamki Executive Director Media & Strategic Communication of National Media Council talks to media about British citizen Matthew Hedges who was convicted of spying on the United Arab Emirates for foreign countries, during press briefing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on 26 November 2018. Hedges has been pardoned by a presidential decree and he is due to be released later. EPA-EFE/ALI HAIDER

A handout picture taken in January 2017 and released by the family of Matthew Hedges in London on November 23, 2018, shows British student Matthew Hedges (L) and his wife Daniela Tejada posing on their wedding day in Dartmoor. - The United Arab Emirates is reviewing a request for clemency from the family of a British researcher sentenced to life in prison on espionage charges this week, the country's ambassador to London said on Friday. Matthew Hedges's family "have made a request for clemency and the government is studying that request," Ambassador Sulaiman Hamid al-Mazroui said in a televised statement, in which he also defended the UAE's judiciary. (Photo by HO / Daniela Tejada / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / Daniela Tejada" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

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Middle East

Officials said Matthew Hedges admitted gathering information about the UAE’s ruling family, military and involvement in the Yemen war


Officials said Matthew Hedges admitted gathering information about the UAE’s ruling family, military and involvement in the Yemen war.


Britain

Briton detained in Abu Dhabi ‘confesses’ in video to be on MI6 mission, but is pardoned by UAE

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Officials said Matthew Hedges admitted gathering information about the UAE’s ruling family, military and involvement in the Yemen war

Officials said Matthew Hedges admitted gathering information about the UAE’s ruling family, military and involvement in the Yemen war