UK ‘doing everything’ to free jailed academic Matthew Hedges from UAE, wife says
Written by News on 22/11/2018
The wife of a British academic jailed for life in the UAE says Jeremy Hunt has vowed to do “everything in his power” to secure his release.
Speaking after a meeting with the foreign secretary in London, Daniela Tejada said he had assured her that he was committed to seeing Matthew Hedges freed and returned to the UK.
The 31-year-old PhD student was sentenced to life behind bars at a court in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, six months after he was arrested at Dubai Airport and accused of spying in the UAE.
Ms Tejada told reporters outside the Foreign Office that seeing him “shaken” in court was “beyond heartbreaking”, and was pleased that the UK government was “now standing up for one of their citizens”.
She added: “This is not a fight I can win alone.”
Earlier on Thursday, Mr Hunt – who is understood to have met with the UAE ambassador in the capital earlier – said he had seen “absolutely no evidence” to support the charge brought against Mr Hedges.
He told Sky News: “We see absolutely no evidence for any of the charges laid against him,” he told Sky News.
“We’re very concerned for his welfare.
“The UAE is supposed to be a friend and ally of Britain’s. We’ve given them repeated assurances about Matthew. If we can’t resolve this there are going to be serious diplomatic consequences, because this is totally unacceptable.”
The Foreign Office did not reveal what form any possible diplomatic consequences could take, but said a number of options are available.
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(c) Sky News 2018: UK ‘doing everything’ to free jailed academic Matthew Hedges from UAE, wife says
