Former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is in prison after he was convicted of sodomising his former aide. - The Malay Mail pic
US President Barack Obama must urge Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Najib Razak to release Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from prison and drop all politically motivated charges, says a global human rights body ahead of the US-Asean Summit.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Najib's invitation to the summit, which will be held in the US in five days, had provoked outrage among Malaysian activists.
“Obama should not conduct business as usual at the US-Asean summit with Najib,” said Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, in a press release to commemorate the first anniversary of Anwar’s imprisonment.
"It would be a betrayal of the people of Malaysia if Obama does not publicly call for Anwar’s release, and the dismissal of politically motivated charges for sedition and other crimes that so many activists in Malaysia face today.”
HRW said Putrajaya should "unconditionally release" Anwar because his incarceration was on "politically motivated charges".
Robertson said confidence in the Malaysian justice system eroded each day the former opposition leader was kept behind bars.
“Anwar’s conviction and imprisonment removed a major political threat to the government of Najib,” said Robertson.
HRW said Putrajaya should also ensure the former opposition leader had access to appropriate medical services while imprisoned and that it facilitated necessary overseas travel to treat his ailments.
The Federal Court last year upheld a Court of Appeal verdict that Anwar was guilty of sodomising his aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, and sentenced him to five years in prison.
The US had said it was "deeply disappointed and concerned" by the outcome of the trial. - TMI
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