![Matthew Hedges with his wife Daniela Tejada [Family handout]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/British-man-held-in-UAE-on-charges-of-spyingMatthew-Hedges-with-his-wife-Daniela-Tejada.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1)
Jordanian activists have called on the Jordanian government to pressure the United Arab Emirates, UAE in order to pardon Jordanian journalist, Tayseer al-Najjar who is jailed in the UAE for criticising Egypt, Israel, and Gulf countries on Facebook.
The UAE pardoned on Monday Matthew Hedges, 31 a British academic as part of a series of orders on the country’s National Day anniversary. Hedges was accused of spying in the United Arab Emirates.
Read: Rights groups: US prolonging Yemen war by supporting Saudi, UAE
The UK-based Arab Organization for Human Rights has previously said in a statement that al-Najjar detention in the UAE is a severe violation of human rights.
It called on the UAE authorities to cancel the verdict against al-Najjar and drop all criminal charges against him and release him and to open a serious investigation into his torture and medical negligence as well as ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.