The United Arab Emirates on Monday pardoned a British researcher who was sentenced last week to life in prison for spying, an official statement said.
Matthew Hedges was among more than 700 prisoners pardoned by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on the occasion of National Day.
“Mr Hedges will be permitted to leave the UAE once formalities are completed,” the statement said.
Hedges, 31, was detained in Dubai on May 5 while researching the UAE´s foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011.
