The life sentence of a British doctoral student on charges of espionage has mobilized nearly 200 academics from New York University. 

Thirty-one-year-old Matthew Hedges was sentenced in the United Arab Emirates this week, six months after being arrested. He has maintained his innocence, saying he was researching his PhD. 

In a letter, the professors and other scholars asked NYU President Andrew Hamilton to condemn the incident and take other steps to demonstrate concern for academic freedom.

The move is not just an act of solidarity. Professors say they are concerned about the faculty and students working at NYU's campus in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The university's campus is funded by the United Arab Emirates government, according to the campus's website. 

Professors say Hamilton should issue a statement immediately, stating "the UAE’s treatment and sentencing of Mr. Hedges have grave implications for NYU’s ongoing operation in Abu Dhabi."

In a statement, NYU spokesman John Beckman said: "It would of course be a source of significant concern to us if someone engaged in routine scholarly activity were imprisoned for it. However, it is important to note that we do not have any information regarding the case of Mr. Hedges beyond what has been publicly reported."

Some NYU professors say that position is insufficient, and urge the university to consider the long-term implications for faculty and students in the U.A.E. 

"How do you have a liberal arts institution which promises free academic inquiry and academic freedom in an increasingly repressive, autocratic society?" said Zachary Lockman, a professor of History and Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. 

The letter asks the university to create a forum for further discussion about academic freedom, and "establish steps to be taken whenever government officials or policies encroach upon academic freedom of students or faculty at a campus or program site."