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United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, made a statement to the media on the 31-year-old student Matthew Hedges' espionage affair. Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in London, Friday, November 23, 2018. Ambassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui said Friday that his government grant clemency to a British academic sentenced to life imprisonment for spying. (AP Photo / Frank Augstein) The Associated Press
By GREGORY KATZ, Associated press
LONDON (AP) – The United Arab Emirates' ambassador to London announced on Friday that his government is studying the possibility of granting clemency to a British academic sentenced to life imprisonment for spying.
Ambassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui said the family of academic Matthew Hedges had asked for clemency and that the government was considering doing so.
He stated that the case of espionage against Mr. Hedges, aged 31, "was an extremely serious matter" and that he had been convicted for "convincing evidence" at the time of his arrest. outcome of a comprehensive and fair judicial process.
"The crimes Mr. Hedges is charged with are extremely serious, and for the UAE, as for all countries, protecting our national security must be our first priority," he said.
The ambassador denied claims that Hedges would have suffered only a brief hearing before being sentenced for very serious charges and said British academics had a adequate legal representation in court.
The ambassador said he had met with British officials to discuss the case, which was threatening close ties between the two friendly countries.
Hedges is a Ph.D. student who was arrested May 5 at the Dubai Airport after a research trip to the United Arab Emirates.
Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, professor of political science in the UAE and very well connected to UAE officials, said he believed the government "should" have credible evidence against Hedges.
"I think what they probably have against him, is that he's working for a government, with probably a badge, with a ranking, with evidence," he said. .
He added that some kind of forgiveness is possible and that it is unlikely that the case will undermine the "extremely mutually beneficial mutually beneficial relationship" between the United Arab Emirates and Britain.
The UAE is strategically located on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and the British Army trains with its troops. The emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai are home to a large number of British nationals working in areas ranging from finance to sports. Thousands of tourists visit the country every year, attracted by sunny beaches, luxury hotels and theme parks.
The links also include lucrative lucrative defense contracts for UK companies.
After meeting with British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt on Thursday, Hedges' wife, Daniela Tejada, said she thought the British authorities were trying to free her husband.
"He (Hunt) assured me that he and his team were doing everything in their power 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."
Malak Harb in Dubai contributed to this report.
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