Spying line in the United Arab Emirates: Matthew Hedges's wife "can not fight alone"

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The wife of a British academic jailed for espionage in the UAE says she can not win the fight to release him alone.

After meeting with Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt, Daniela Tejada said that he had assured her that he was doing everything he could.

Matthew Hedges was sentenced to life in prison but denied spying.

Mr Hunt revealed that he had had "constructive" talks with his UAE counterpart in the United Arab Emirates and said he was convinced that steps were being taken to "resolve the situation".

Speaking to the Foreign Office, Ms. Tejada thanked Mr. Hunt for "taking the time" to meet her at "this crucial time".

"He assured me that he and his team were doing everything possible to free Matt and take him home," she said.

"This is not a fight that I can win alone and I thank the Foreign Office and the British public for defending now one of their citizens."

Mr. Hunt tweeted he had just had a constructive conversation with UAE FM [Foreign Minister] Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed ".

"I believe and believe that he is working hard to resolve the situation as quickly as possible," he said.

"We have a close partnership with the UAE that will help us get things done."

Mr Hedges was in the country to conduct a study on United Arab Emirates security strategy as part of his doctoral dissertation when he was arrested at the Dubai airport.

Prosecutors said the 31-year-old man, originally from Exeter, had confessed to spying.

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The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country was "determined to protect its important strategic relationship with a key ally" and added that he hoped the two sides could find "an amicable solution" at the time. ;case.

The country's Attorney General, Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, has previously stated that Mr. Hedges has the right to appeal.

Abdulla Al Naqbi, head of the ministry's legal affairs department, said that "families also have the right to appeal for presidential clemency on behalf of the condemned relatives".

In a statement, Mr. Al Naqbi stated that "convincing and powerful evidence was presented in court" and that this included Mr. Hedges' own confession.

Mr. Hedges was offered, and accepted, the services of an attorney-at-law, as well as translators, he said.

"It is not true that he was asked to sign documents that he did not understand," said Al Naqbi.