The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals on Wednesday, November 21, sentenced British expat Matthew Hedges to life in jail after finding him guilty of spying.
Public Prosecution Attorney General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said that Hedges pleaded guilty before the court after the presentation of legal evidence gathered during judicial investigations.
”The defendant confessed in detail to his crimes during investigations whereby he was accorded his full rights and assurances as per the UAE Constitution and state laws to fair and transparent trial,” Al Shamsi said.
Al Shamsi stated that the defendant appeared before the court in the presence of representatives from the British embassy.
Despite the conviction, Hedges is still eligible to file for an appeal before the Federal Supreme Court for retrial where the evidence against him will be reviewed.
Hedges is a doctoral student at Durham University and was arrested at Dubai airport at the end of his two-week study trip in October.
Hedges was reported to have been researching on the impact of the Arab Spring on the UAE’s foreign policy and security strategy.
Following the arrest, the UAE government said in a statement that Hedges “jeopardizes the military, economy, and political security of the UAE”.
