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TEHRAN, November 27 - A British academic was on his way home from the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday after a pardon saved him from a life sentence for spying, according to a Reuters photographer.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - The UAE said it had pardoned Matthew Hedges after showing a video of him purportedly confessing to being a member of Britain's MI6 intelligence agency. Britain has denied he was a spy and welcomed his pardon.
Hedges boarded a flight to London in Dubai, according to a Reuters photographer at the airport.
Hedges, a 31-year-old doctoral student at Durham University, had been held since May 5, when he was arrested at Dubai International Airport after a two-week research visit.
His family have cast him as a dedicated researcher who fell foul of the UAE's security and justice system. The UAE cast him as a British spy who was given a fair trial for grave espionage offences.
The case has strained ties between the long-time allies, leading London to issue a forceful diplomatic response after last week's verdict was handed down, with a warning that it could hurt relations.
The UAE president issued the pardon as part of a mass clemency of more than 700 prisoners to mark the country's National Day.
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt welcomed the pardon, which he called "fantastic news".
"Although we didn't agree with charges we are grateful to UAE government for resolving issue speedily," Hunt said.
The UAE had signaled on Friday that it was working on an "amicable solution" to the case after Prime Minister Theresa May had described last week's sentence as deeply disappointing.
His wife, Daniela Tejada, has said he was kept in solitary confinement for more than five months and the evidence presented against him consisted of notes from his dissertation research.
Last week's hearing lasted less than five minutes, she said.
Source: Reuters
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