Petition to free uni man tops 225,000

United Arab Emirates ambassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui makes a statement about jailed British academic Matthew Hedges must be a top priority.

“Mr Hedges’ family have made a request for clemency and the government is studying that request.”

The statement comes after diplomatic pressure by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to secure the 31-year-old’s release. Mr Hunt said he had seen “absolutely no evidence” to support prosecutors’ allegations that Matthew was spying when he visited Dubai earlier this year.

On Thursday night he said he had a “constructive conversation” with his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed.

He also threatened “serious diplomatic consequences” if Matthew, who is originally from Exeter, is not freed.

Daniela said that her husband’s health has suffered since the trial.

She told the BBC: “He is not well. He mentioned that his panic attacks have become worse than they were before. However, he did say that he has access to a doctor.

“I wasn’t allowed to know where he is, so still don’t know anything about his whereabouts, and I think he’s just absolutely terrified at the idea of having to spend the rest of his life behind bars for an offence he hasn’t committed.”

Matthew was arrested at Dubai airport in May and had been held in solitary confinement until his trial, which sentences him to 25 years imprisonment followed by deportation. Matthew Hedges with his wife Daniela Tejada, who has thanked supporters on Twitter, above. A petition calling for his release has gathered more than 225,000 signatures