A British academic has been sentenced by an Abu Dhabi court to life in prison for allegedly spying for the UK government, in a shock decision which Jeremy Hunt, Foreign Secretary, warned would have “serious diplomatic consequences” for the allies.
Matthew Hedges, 31, who was studying for a PhD at Durham University, was arrested at Dubai airport on May 5 after a research trip and later accused of espionage.
A representative for the family said his lawyer was not in court on Wednesday to represent him and the trial lasted just five minutes.
UAE attorney general Hamad al-Shamsi said on Wednesday that Hedges was handed a life sentence after "the defendant admitted before the court to the charges brought against him by the public prosecution", according to a statement carried by the official news agency WAM.
He added that the ruling "was not final" as Hedges has the right to appeal against the verdict before the Federal Supreme Court.
Daniela Tejada, Mr Hedges’ wife, said that her husband is unable to speak Arabic, so was not able to consult properly with his legal team during proceedings.
Ms Tejada, who was present in the courtroom, said she was in "complete shock" and maintained Mr Hedge’s innocence.
"I don’t know what to do. Matthew is innocent," she said. "The Foreign Office know this and have made it clear to the UAE authorities that Matthew is not a spy for them.
"This has been the worst six months of my life – let alone for Matt, who was shaking when he heard the verdict. The UAE authorities should feel ashamed for such an obvious injustice. I am very scared for Matt. I don’t know where they are taking him or what will happen now.”
The family had been hopeful after Mr Hedges, who had been kept in solitary confinement for his first five months, was released on bail on October 29 and given an ankle bracelet monitoring his movements.
Following the verdict, Mr Hunt, who had travelled to the UAE to make representations on Mr Hedges’s behalf, issued a strongly worded statement saying he was "deeply shocked and disappointed".
"Today’s verdict is not what we expect from a friend and trusted partner of the United Kingdom and runs contrary to earlier assurances," he said.
"I have repeatedly made clear that the handling of this case by the UAE authorities will have repercussions for the relationship between our two countries, which has to be built on trust.
"There will be serious diplomatic consequences."
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "deeply disappointed and concerned", and told MPs "we will continue to press this matter at the highest level with the Emiratis".
Mrs May said Mr Hunt was "urgently seeking a call with Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed".
Crispin Blunt MP, former chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said: "If he’s not released, I don’t see why we should be committed to their defence."
Mr Hedges’s case is unprecedented and one that has been greeted with consternation by the UK government, which has been trying to build its trade partnership with the UAE – its largest export market in the Middle East – after Brexit.
The two countries are allied in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria and Iraq, and share considerable amount of intelligence.
The sentence will also be concerning for British and other foreign academics working in the UAE.
More than 200 professors from institutions around the world had called for the release of their colleague, saying the charges against him put into question academic ties between London and Abu Dhabi.
A number of universities have opened campuses in Dubai in recent years, including Middlesex, Heriot-Watt and Bolton. Earlier this year Birmingham University opened a campus in Dubai and Stirling University opened one on Ras al-Khaimah campus.
"Since legitimate academic activity is clearly impossible in the UAE, I assume all the Western universities with branches there will be pulling out?" said David Wearing, Teaching Fellow in International Relations at Royal Holloway who specialises in the Middle East. "If not, they will have serious questions to answer."
Mr Hedges, who is originally from Exeter, was in the UAE researching the impact of the Arab Spring on the country’s foreign policy and security strategy. It is understood he was reported to authorities by one of his interviewees.
Professor Stuart Corbridge, vice-chancellor of Durham University, said he was "devastated" by the sentence.
He said: "There has been no information given on what basis Matt was handed this sentence and no reason to believe that Matt was conducting anything other than legitimate academic research."
Colombian-born Ms Tejada, 27, had said her husband suffered from suicidal thoughts in prison, where conditions were "inhuman".
Mr Hedges now has 30 days to appeal the verdict.
"The British Government must take a stand now for Matthew, one of their citizens," Ms Tejada pleaded. "They say that the UAE is an ally, but the overwhelmingly arbitrary handling of Matt’s case indicates a scarily different reality, for which Matt and I are being made to pay a devastatingly high price."