The Foreign Office failed to notice signs of torture and provide help to a British academic during his detention in the United Arab Emirates, a watchdog has found.
Matthew Hedges welcomed the conclusion of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) investigation as a “personal victory” in recognising the “pain and abuse” he experienced.
But he called on the department to make a formal apology and implement changes to ensure others do not have to experience what he went through.
Mr Hedges was detained in Abu Dhabi between May and November 2018, after being accused of working for MI6.
He had travelled to the UAE to carry out research for his PhD when he was arrested at Dubai airport.
Mr Hedges later described how he was questioned for up to 15 hours a day, forced to wear ankle cuffs, faced sleepless nights, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and was reliant on a cocktail of drugs that were fed to him in jail.
Mr Hedges, originally from Exeter, was sentenced to life imprisonment but was pardoned by the nation’s president days later.
He complained to the PHSO that the Foreign Office had failed to notice he was being mistreated.
