Malaysia: Former Prime Minister Facing Sodomy Trial


Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit


BBC News Online: World: Asia-Pacific

Sunday, June 6, 1999 Published at 22:25 GMT 23:25 UK
   

Anwar faces sodomy trial

Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's ousted deputy prime minister, will go on trial for
the second time on Monday, charged with sodomy.

Malaysia Crisis Section Mr Anwar's first trial, which was widely criticised
by human rights organisations and independent observers, saw him sentenced
to six years in jail for misuse of power.

The trial is likely to be as controversial as the first one. and this time
the judge has imposed a ban on reporters covering on the proceedings.

If convicted, Mr Anwar could face 20 years in jail and a whipping.

Mr Anwar's brother, Sukma Darmawan, is also on trial, charged with abetting
the crime and with committing sodomy himself.

In April, Mr Anwar was convicted of four charges of corruption. He currently
faces a charge of having committed sodomy with his family's former driver,
Azizan Abu Bakar, in May 1992.

Earlier, the courts threw out an appeal by Mr Anwar's adopted brother to
have his six-month jail sentence for sodomy revised.

He says that police forced him to confess to sodomy with the former deputy
prime minister.

Debate over civil liberties

The trial of Anwar Ibrahim has led to a debate over Malaysia's human rights
record under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Mr Mahathir has been in office since 1981 and is the longest-serving elected
leader in Asia.

Mr Anwar's sacking and consequent arrest in September led to countrywide
protests and condemnation by human rights groups.

The former minister argues that he is the victim of a plot to smear him and
destroy his chances of ever attaining power.
 
=================================================================
  NY Transfer News Collective   *   A Service of Blythe Systems 
           Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us          
              339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012             
  http://www.blythe.org                  e-mail: nyt@blythe.org 
=================================================================
 
nytas-06.06.99-21:46:47-31001