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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| UAE 'spy' student unsupported in jail, wife says | UAE 'spy' student unsupported in jail, wife says |
| (30 days later) | |
| The Foreign Office has failed to offer adequate support to a British student charged with spying in the United Arab Emirates, his wife has told the BBC. | The Foreign Office has failed to offer adequate support to a British student charged with spying in the United Arab Emirates, his wife has told the BBC. |
| Durham University PhD student Matthew Hedges has reportedly been held in solitary confinement for five months. | Durham University PhD student Matthew Hedges has reportedly been held in solitary confinement for five months. |
| Daniela Tejada said requests to meet Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt had not received a response. | Daniela Tejada said requests to meet Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt had not received a response. |
| Mr Hunt said he had raised "a number of concerns" about the case with his UAE counterpart. | Mr Hunt said he had raised "a number of concerns" about the case with his UAE counterpart. |
| Mr Hedges appeared in court on Wednesday, and his lawyer requested that the evidence be re-examined. | Mr Hedges appeared in court on Wednesday, and his lawyer requested that the evidence be re-examined. |
| The court agreed and the hearing was adjourned until November 21. | The court agreed and the hearing was adjourned until November 21. |
| Ms Tejada told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme there was "absolutely no guarantee of a fair trial" as her husband had been "heavily interrogated without legal counsel from the beginning". | Ms Tejada told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme there was "absolutely no guarantee of a fair trial" as her husband had been "heavily interrogated without legal counsel from the beginning". |
| Contacting the media | |
| Ms Tejada, who lives in Exeter, said that after Mr Hedges was arrested in Dubai on May 5 she "didn't receive any [meaningful] advice" from the Foreign Office, and was directed to a charity. | Ms Tejada, who lives in Exeter, said that after Mr Hedges was arrested in Dubai on May 5 she "didn't receive any [meaningful] advice" from the Foreign Office, and was directed to a charity. |
| She said this led her to contact the media - an approach the Foreign Office has since told her could result in "bogus charges" being brought against her husband in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). | She said this led her to contact the media - an approach the Foreign Office has since told her could result in "bogus charges" being brought against her husband in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). |
| Ms Tejada added that the Foreign Office had failed to focus on ensuring her partner's freedom - choosing instead to prioritise his welfare. | Ms Tejada added that the Foreign Office had failed to focus on ensuring her partner's freedom - choosing instead to prioritise his welfare. |
| She called on the government to do more to help her husband, saying accusations that he worked for the British intelligence services meant it was a "state matter". | She called on the government to do more to help her husband, saying accusations that he worked for the British intelligence services meant it was a "state matter". |
| Mr Hunt has previously said he was "very worried about this and I have mentioned it face-to-face with the Emirati foreign minister twice now." | Mr Hunt has previously said he was "very worried about this and I have mentioned it face-to-face with the Emirati foreign minister twice now." |
| The Foreign Office said it was supporting a British man following his detention in the UAE. | The Foreign Office said it was supporting a British man following his detention in the UAE. |
| Free 'spy' student, academics demand | Free 'spy' student, academics demand |
| Free my husband from UAE jail, wife pleads | Free my husband from UAE jail, wife pleads |
| Mr Hedges was detained at Dubai Airport as he was leaving the country following a research trip on the impact of the Arab Spring on the UAE's foreign policy and security strategy. | Mr Hedges was detained at Dubai Airport as he was leaving the country following a research trip on the impact of the Arab Spring on the UAE's foreign policy and security strategy. |
| Ms Tejada said her husband has only been able to meet his court-appointed lawyer once, while the state "has had five months" to prepare the case against him. | Ms Tejada said her husband has only been able to meet his court-appointed lawyer once, while the state "has had five months" to prepare the case against him. |
| She said that Mr Hedges "had been forbidden from discussing his case" with her. | She said that Mr Hedges "had been forbidden from discussing his case" with her. |
| She said she had been told that if found guilty, her husband's sentence could range from "a couple of months to 15 years". | She said she had been told that if found guilty, her husband's sentence could range from "a couple of months to 15 years". |
| 'Very vulnerable' | 'Very vulnerable' |
| Mr Hedges has continued to be held in solitary confinement, Ms Tejada said, but his conditions had "somewhat improved". | Mr Hedges has continued to be held in solitary confinement, Ms Tejada said, but his conditions had "somewhat improved". |
| He had been taken to hospital "to get an idea why he was persistently vomiting", she said, with anxiety thought to be a cause. | He had been taken to hospital "to get an idea why he was persistently vomiting", she said, with anxiety thought to be a cause. |
| "He comes across as a strong person because he is very big, played rugby, but he is very vulnerable," she continued. | "He comes across as a strong person because he is very big, played rugby, but he is very vulnerable," she continued. |
| The UAE government said in a statement that "since his arrest Mr Hedges has been provided with constant medical and psychological care. | The UAE government said in a statement that "since his arrest Mr Hedges has been provided with constant medical and psychological care. |
| "Mr Hedges has the ongoing facility to contact family, embassy and consular staff and his legal counsel by phone," it added. | "Mr Hedges has the ongoing facility to contact family, embassy and consular staff and his legal counsel by phone," it added. |
| "The UAE constitution also provides that an accused person shall be presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a legal and fair trial." | "The UAE constitution also provides that an accused person shall be presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a legal and fair trial." |
| Watch the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 BST on BBC Two and the BBC News Channel in the UK and on iPlayer afterwards. | Watch the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 BST on BBC Two and the BBC News Channel in the UK and on iPlayer afterwards. |