UK academic on spying charge in UAE released on bail

LONDON – Britain’s Foreign Office says a U.K. academic who has been jailed in the United Arab Emirates for six months on spying allegations has been released on bail.

Matthew Hedges, a PhD student in Middle Eastern Studies at Durham University, was arrested at Dubai Airport on May 5. He appeared in a UAE court last week accused of spying for the British government.

The Foreign Office says it’s doing “everything we can for Matthew and his family.”

It says ongoing legal proceedings limit what it can say about the case. It also declined to comment on intelligence matters, in keeping with government policy.

Hedges’ wife, Daniela Tejada, welcomed his release, but said Tuesday: “I cannot allow myself to get too excited by this information as Matt is not fully free yet.”