British Student: UAE Forced Me to Confess to Espionage

Matthew Hedges, a British political science student, claims he had "no choice but to confess" during his seven months in prison on espionage charges in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE granted him a pardon in November after a video surfaced in which Hedges confessed to being a member of the British intelligence agency and collecting information on the country's weapon systems. The UAE's state news agency also claimed that Hedges was gathering information on weapon systems, the economic situation, the UAE's involvement in the Yemen war, and important government officials, including members of the ruling family, for British intelligence agencies. The British government has denied the espionage charges against Hedges and welcomed his pardon and release. In a recent interview with Reuters in New York, Hedges stated, "As far as I know, the confession tape is a combination of selective and edited pieces from months of my detention, under pressure, threats of torture, and psychological pressure." He added, "There was no other way but to confess." An Emirati official responded to Hedges' allegations by stating that he was "not tortured at all" during his detention and denied any manipulation of the confession tape. Hedges, 31, was arrested at Dubai airport during a two-week research trip to the UAE. He spent over five months in solitary confinement, and part of the evidence against him included notes related to his thesis. Hedges claims that Emirati officials asked him to "steal information and documents from the British Foreign Office," which greatly surprised him. Jabir Al-Lamki, a senior official from the UAE National Media Council, denied such actions by his country's officials and described the accusation as "completely ridiculous." The research topics of Matthew Hedges, including security structure, tribal relations, and how political power is consolidated in the UAE, are all very sensitive subjects. Hedges' family describes him as an academic and a "victim" of the UAE's judicial and security system. In contrast, the UAE claims he is a British spy who was fairly tried for espionage. Hedges states that he is currently undergoing treatment to recover his peace and health from the pressures of his detention, a process that may take years.