Wednesday's verdict against Matthew Hedges, a 31-year-old PhD student at Durham University, was issued by Abu Dhabi's Court of Appeal.
Hedges was arrested at Dubai airport on May 5 and referred in October to trial by the UAE attorney general on charges of “spying for a foreign state in an act that jeopardizes the military, economic and political position of the UAE."
"The accused came to the UAE under the guise of being an academic researcher to secure confidential information to potentially pass to a foreign country," Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said earlier.
The court also ruled that Hedges be expelled to his country after serving the life sentence, which amounts to 25 years in UAE.
The verdict could be appealed within 30 days before the Federal Supreme Court.
Hedges was arrested at Dubai airport on May 5 and referred in October to trial by the UAE attorney general on charges of “spying for a foreign state in an act that jeopardizes the military, economic and political position of the UAE."
"The accused came to the UAE under the guise of being an academic researcher to secure confidential information to potentially pass to a foreign country," Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said earlier.
The court also ruled that Hedges be expelled to his country after serving the life sentence, which amounts to 25 years in UAE.
The verdict could be appealed within 30 days before the Federal Supreme Court.