EXCLUSIVE British educational accused of spying and tortured within the UAE slams International Workplace for ‘abandoning’ him as watchdog finds officers ‘failed to guard’ the PhD pupil and may apologise

A British educational who was tortured within the UAE after being falsely accused of spying for the MI6 has slammed the International Workplace for ‘abandoning’ him as a parliamentary watchdog has discovered officers failed to guard him.

Matthew Hedges was sentenced to life in jail in November 2018 after being arrested at Dubai airport in Might that yr. He was then held in UAE custody the place he suffered intense interrogations and torture.

Now, 4 years after his detention at a state facility within the UAE, the Parliamentary Ombudsman has dominated the International, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace (FCDO) failed to guard him from torture.

The Ombudsman has advisable that inside three months of the ultimate report, the FCDO ought to subject a proper apology to Mr Hedges, in addition to pay him £1,500 in compensation.

However Mr Hedges, who acknowledged the ‘UAE is chargeable for the torture and abuse that I suffered’, stated immediately that he desires the FCDO to take motion to stop others from going by what he did or ‘worse’.

He advised MailOnline that he ‘felt utterly deserted’ by the governmental authority and ‘couldn’t consider that they weren’t capable of perceive the very clear and apparent indicators of my torture’.

Matthew Hedges was sentenced to life in jail in November 2018 after being arrested at Dubai airport in Might that yr. He was then held in UAE custody the place he suffered intense interrogations and torture. Mr Hedges is pictured along with his spouse, Daniela

Now, 4 years after his detention at a state facility within the UAE, the Parliamentary Ombudsman has dominated the International, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace (FCDO) failed to guard him from torture. Mr Hedges, (pictured) who acknowledged the ‘UAE is chargeable for the torture and abuse that I suffered’, stated immediately that he desires the FCDO to take motion to stop others from going by what he did or ‘worse’

Mr Hedges stated he isn’t offended with the FCDO as an entire, however as a substitute with ‘people within the International Workplace’ who he feels failed to protect him.

‘The reluctance of the FCDO to guard me – a very harmless British citizen, inside a rustic that they themselves know commits torture – was some of the surprising issues to take care of throughout that point,’ he stated immediately after the Ombudsman launched its findings.

He slammed then-International Secretary Jeremy Hunt for allegedly promising the FCDO would perform an’ inside evaluation into their dealing with of my detention and what went flawed’, however then failing to take action.

‘4 years in the past, I subsequently had no alternative however to go to the Ombudsman with a grievance,’ Mr Hedges stated. ‘Nothing will ever make up for what I went by, nevertheless it seems like a semblance of justice to know that the behaviour of the International Workplace was unacceptable and to have their failure to guard recognised.’

The tutorial additionally criticised the FCDO for ‘making an attempt every little thing doable to frustrate the method’ of the Ombudsman’s investigation.

Whereas he acknowledged the Ombudsman’s findings have been a ‘victory for me’, Mr Hedges says the report additionally serves as a ‘warning to all British nationals that the UAE commits torture and that there are severe limits to what the FCDO will truly do to assist and shield you’.

He argued the FCDO has not taken sufficient steps to organize or warn Britons in regards to the dangers related to travelling to the UAE or that the nation makes use of torture strategies. 

Mr Hedges stated he isn’t offended with the FCDO as an entire, however as a substitute with ‘people within the International Workplace’ who he feels failed to guard him. He’s pictured along with his spouse Daniela

Mr Hedges, pictured at Heathrow upon his arrival again to the UK in 2018, advised MailOnline hefeels the FCDO has not taken sufficient steps to organize or warn Britons in regards to the dangers related to travelling to the UAE or that the nation makes use of torture strategies

British PhD pupil who says he was wrongly imprisoned in UAE for six months on spying costs accuses the Gulf state of smearing him: READ MORE HERE 

Mr Hedges accused the UAE’s London embassy of launching a smear marketing campaign towards him by disseminating a 19-page file of non-public and medical data

 

‘The International Workplace would not inform you it is unsafe, however folks aren’t educated that it is a nation that’s recognized to do that,’ he advised MailOnline. 

‘The FCDO is aware of the UAE tortures and abuses folks, it is within the report. They know this happens and so they act as if there is no subject.’

He stated the FCDO must ‘acknowledge and rectify’ the scenario and known as on the company to evaluation and study ‘why these items are occurring’.

Mr Hedges hopes his story, in addition to the tales of different Britons who’ve been tortured in international custody, serves as a warning to others.

‘If the FCO is aware of the UAE tortures – and so they tortured a British nationwide – what does this imply for COP 28, the UN convention?’ he questioned. ‘Individuals ought to be asking “Is it secure to go? They did not shield a British nationwide, will they shield me?”‘

Including that he feels ‘I’ve a mission to attempt to assist others’, Mr Hedges additionally stated he desires these related to the FDCO to evaluation their very own conduct.

‘That is when the anger begins to rise,’ he stated of people he’s presently pursuing legal action against. ‘They act as if nothing occurred and if one thing did occur they’re disregarding it.

‘They’re cosying up to the people involved on this, it questions their morality. I am not right here to say by no means contact these folks. However they noticed this torture happen and their appearing as if nothing occurred.’ 

He stated the FCDO must ‘acknowledge and rectify’ the scenario and known as on the company to evaluation and study ‘why these items are occurring’. Mr Hedges is pictured in Might 2019

Mr Hedges was arrested at Dubai Airport on Might 5, 2018, as he was poised to go away the nation, having been within the UAE on a two-week analysis journey for his PhD in safety.

He was accused of being an MI6 agent, detained and finally discovered responsible on spying offences, earlier than being given an official pardon after a protracted marketing campaign by his spouse Daniela and an intervention from Mr Hunt.

The tutorial has all the time fiercely denied being concerned with any spying company and the UK authorities has beforehand confirmed it didn’t see any proof which supported the state’s claims.

Throughout his detention, Mr Hedges was stored in a windowless cell, and for the primary few months was compelled to sleep on the ground with the lights consistently switched on.

Mr Hedges additionally beforehand revealed that he was compelled to take a cocktail of drugs that docs have been made to prescribe for him, was consistently watched and repeatedly interrogated.

Whereas in confinement, he suffered from anxiousness and panic and was unable to sleep. After being sentenced to life in jail, he tried to take his personal life.

Mr Hedges was arrested at Dubai Airport on Might 5, 2018, as he was poised to go away the nation, having been within the UAE on a two-week analysis journey for his PhD in safety. He was accused of being an MI6 agent, detained and finally discovered responsible on spying offences, earlier than being given an official pardon after a protracted marketing campaign by his spouse Daniela and an intervention from Jeremy Hunt. He’s pictured along with his spouse

Matthew Hedges (proper) is pictured in November 2021 with British citizen Ali Issa Ahmad, who was additionally allegedly tortured in UAE custody

He submitted his grievance to the Ombudsman in September 2019. 

The watchdog immediately has dominated the FCDO failed to guard him and has advisable it not solely apologise and pay compensation, but additionally ‘say what it can do to make sure its dealing with of comparable circumstances is in step with related steering’.

A FCDO spokesperson advised MailOnline immediately: ‘One of the best pursuits of British nationals, together with these detained abroad, is on the coronary heart of our consular work and we assist their households wherever we will. 

‘We’ll evaluation the Ombudsman’s findings and reply in the end.’