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UAE says it wants amicable solution over jailed British academic UAE says it wants amicable solution over jailed British academic
(about 2 hours later)
The United Arab Emirates has said it wants to reach an amicable conclusion to the dispute over the British academic Matthew Hedges, who was jailed for life on espionage charges this week.The United Arab Emirates has said it wants to reach an amicable conclusion to the dispute over the British academic Matthew Hedges, who was jailed for life on espionage charges this week.
The sudden change in tone came after the British foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, warned of serious diplomatic consequences if Hedges was not released, and after a torrent of cross-party British criticism of a UAE court procedure widely seen as a travesty of justice. The apparent change in tone, viewed as a possible precursor to an act of clemency, came after the British foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, warned of serious diplomatic consequences if Hedges was not released, and followed a torrent of cross-party British criticism accusing the UAE courts of a miscarriage of justice.
Hunt is due to speak to his opposite number in the UAE and has already had what was described as a frank conversation with Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, the UAE’s ambassador to London. Hunt spelled out a range of potential diplomatic consequences if Hedges was not released on appeal. Hunt spoke to his opposite number in the UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, late on Thursday afternoon in what he described as “a constructive conversation”. Hunt tweeted: “I believe he is working hard to resolve the situation as soon as possible. We have a close partnership with the UAE which will help us to take things forward.”
The UAE said on Thursday afternoon: “Officials from both countries have discussed the matter regularly over recent months. Both sides hope to find an amicable solution to the Matthew Hedges case.” The suggestion of an amicable solution may spark hopes that a pardon could be considered over the coming days. It is traditional for the government to grant a large number of pardons at the time of the UAE’s National Day, which happens to be next Thursday. Hedges is allowed a formal appeal within 30 days of his sentencing, but some Gulf sources said the issue could be resolved by the end of the week.
It insisted Hedges had been treated fairly and said it was determined to protect its important strategic relationship with Britain, a key ally. Earlier in the day, Hunt had what was described as a frank conversation with Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, the UAE’s ambassador to London. Hunt has a range of potential diplomatic and economic sanctions at his disposal if Hedges is not released on appeal, but at present the Foreign Office is not emphasising that option.
The statement from the Gulf state’s foreign ministry said Hedges had been provided with translators and “it is not true that he was asked to sign documents he did not understand”. The UAE said on Thursday afternoon: “Officials from both countries have discussed the matter regularly over recent months. Both sides hope to find an amicable solution to the Matthew Hedges case.” It insisted that Hedges had been treated fairly and said it was determined to protect its important strategic relationship with Britain, a key ally.
The statement may spark hopes that a pardon could be considered over the coming days. Rejecting claims that Hedges had been forced to make confessions under duress, the UAE foreign ministry said Hedges had been provided with translators and “it is not true that he was asked to sign documents he did not understand”.
The UAE earlier said the sentencing hearing this week, which lasted only five minutes, was largely a formality since Hedges had already been found guilty of espionage, a conviction that could have led to the death penalty. The UAE earlier said the sentencing hearing this week, which lasted only five minutes, was largely a formality, since Hedges had already been found guilty of espionage, a conviction that could have led to the death penalty.
This comes as other academics have said that Hedges may have inadvertently put himself at risk by his “sharp analysis” of the UAE’s shifting security politics. Other academics have said that Hedges may have inadvertently put himself at risk by his “sharp analysis” of the UAE’s shifting security politics. The country presents itself as a modernising, socially liberal force in the Gulf, but dissent is repressed.
On Thursday Hedges’ wife, Daniela Tejada, said she wanted Hunt to do whatever it took to bring her husband home. On Thursday Hedges’ wife, Daniela Tejada, said she wanted Hunt to do whatever it took to bring her husband home. She said it was absurd that the UAE had found Hedges guilty of spying on an ally of Britain, and accused the Foreign Office of refusing to take the case seriously at the outset.
She said it was absurd that the UAE had found Hedges guilty of spying on an ally of Britain, and she accused the Foreign Office of refusing to take the case seriously when it began.
Tejada said the Foreign Office had repeatedly told her it had no duty of care for Hedges, a PhD student at Durham University. “I was under the impression that they were putting their interests with the UAE above a British citizen’s right to freedom and a fair trial. They were treading on eggshells,” she said.Tejada said the Foreign Office had repeatedly told her it had no duty of care for Hedges, a PhD student at Durham University. “I was under the impression that they were putting their interests with the UAE above a British citizen’s right to freedom and a fair trial. They were treading on eggshells,” she said.
But in a later statement issued after her meeting with the Hunt she toned down her criticism saying: “He (Hunt) has assured me that he and his team are doing everything in their power to get Matt free and return him home to me. This is not a fight I can win alone and I thank the Foreign Office for now standing up for one of their citizens.” But in a later statement issued after her meeting with Hunt, she toned down her criticism, saying: “[Hunt] has assured me that he and his team are doing everything in their power to get Matt free and return him home to me. This is not a fight I can win alone and I thank the Foreign Office for now standing up for one of their citizens.”
She said her husband was shaking in court as his sentence was read out, and he had to ask the translator for it to be stated a second time. Tejada was given no chance to speak to Hedges after he was taken away, and she is seeking assurances that he will no longer be kept in solitary confinement. She said her husband was shaking in court as his sentence was read out, and he had to ask the translator for it to be given a second time. Tejada was given no chance to speak to Hedges after he was taken away, and she is seeking assurances that he will no longer be kept in solitary confinement.
Tejada said any confessions extracted from her husband when he was in solitary confinement for six weeks without access to legal counsel were worthless. “It means there was no due process and the evidence is unfounded and should not be used against him,” she said.Tejada said any confessions extracted from her husband when he was in solitary confinement for six weeks without access to legal counsel were worthless. “It means there was no due process and the evidence is unfounded and should not be used against him,” she said.
She said Hedges was given legal advice only after three court hearings, and the Foreign Office did not act on her weekly requests for it to be more proactive.She said Hedges was given legal advice only after three court hearings, and the Foreign Office did not act on her weekly requests for it to be more proactive.
The UAE said the ruling would be subject to an appeal within a month, and there are signs that the country’s diplomatic service is aware the case is seriously damaging UK-UAE relations. The UAE said the ruling would be subject to an appeal within a month, and there are signs that the country’s diplomatic service is aware that the case is seriously damaging UK-UAE relations. The UAE has built strong support on the Conservative benches in the House of Commons, but the case has put this under strain.
The country presents itself as a modernising, socially liberal force in the Gulf, but dissent is repressed. The Tory MPs Johnny Mercer and Crispin Blunt condemned the jailing of Hedges and called for the British government to act. Mercer tweeted: “This is ridiculous. Our defence assistance, mentoring and intelligence relationships alone with this country should preclude absurd things like this happening.
The UAE has built strong support on the Conservative benches in the House of Commons but the case has put this under strain. The Tory MPs Johnny Mercer and Crispin Blunt condemned the jailing of Hedges and called for the British government to act. “From a friend and partner, simply unacceptable. Consequences must be immediate until he is released.” Blunt said: “If he is not released, I don’t see why we should be committed to their defence.”
Mercer tweeted: “This is ridiculous. Our defence assistance, mentoring and intelligence relationships alone with this country should preclude absurd things like this happening. From a friend and partner, simply unacceptable. Consequences must be immediate until he is released.” In the House of Lords on Thursday, the government came under cross-party pressure to warn the UAE that the Hedges case had to be heard on appeal immediately or serious consequences for relations would ensue.
Blunt said: “If he is not released, I don’t see why we should be committed to their defence.”
In the House of Lords on Thursday the government came under cross-party pressure to warn the UAE that the Hedges case had to be heard on appeal immediately or else there would be serious consequences for relations.
Annabel Goldie, speaking for the government, said the Foreign Office was relaying to the UAE “in the starkest and bluntest terms what the reaction had been in the UK to the case”.Annabel Goldie, speaking for the government, said the Foreign Office was relaying to the UAE “in the starkest and bluntest terms what the reaction had been in the UK to the case”.
She said the foreign secretary was seeking assurances about the timing of Hedges’ appeal hearing, his conditions in prison and access to family and lawyers.
She said there was no immediate plan to change the travel advice to the 120,000 British citizens resident in the UAE or to the 11 British universities represented there.She said there was no immediate plan to change the travel advice to the 120,000 British citizens resident in the UAE or to the 11 British universities represented there.
On Wednesday, Hunt said: “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.” Prof Clive Jones, of Durham University, said Hedges had been working on a thesis about civil-military relations in the UAE since the Arab spring, based on readily accepted literature. “There was nothing clandestine or covert in any of the material he had been using up to date in the thesis,” he said. “He went to the United Arab Emirates to conduct a series of interviews to help flesh out some of the theories.
Hunt raised the case with the Abu Dhabi crown prince, Mohammed bin Zayed, this month and he had been privately optimistic his representation would bear fruit. “If we had any inkling that Matt in any sense shape or form was going to be in danger, then of course we would not have agreed to let him go.”
Prof Clive Jones, of Durham University, said Hedges had been working on a thesis about civil-military relations in the UAE since the Arab spring, based on readily accepted literature.
“There was nothing clandestine or covert in any of the material he had been using up to date in the thesis,” Jones said. “He went to the United Arab Emirates to conduct a series of interviews to help flesh out some of the theories and some of the empirical evidence that he had actually collected.
“If we had any inkling that Matt in any sense shape or form was going to be in danger then of course we would not have agreed to let him go.”
He said there would have to be a moratorium on field research by British academics working in the Gulf.He said there would have to be a moratorium on field research by British academics working in the Gulf.
Foreign policyForeign policy
United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
Jeremy HuntJeremy Hunt
Middle East and North AfricaMiddle East and North Africa
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