Malaysia: Amnesty International welcomes release of Anwar Ibrahim and Sukma Darmawan

Amnesty International said:

“The release of Anwar Ibrahim and Sukma Darmawan is a welcome and important milestone for human rights and the rule of law in Malaysia. “The courts have recognised that these convictions were based on unsafe evidence. We welcome this reassertion of independence by the Malaysian judiciary.”

In 1998, Anwar Ibrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Malaysia, was detained on politically motivated charges of abuse of power and sodomy.

After two separate trials that failed to meet international standards of fairness he was sentenced to six years for abuse of power and nine years for sodomy.

His adopted brother, Sukma Darmawan, was also charged with sodomy and of “aiding” Anwar to commit sodomy. Sukma Darmawan was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and four strokes of the rotan cane.

Further information about Anwar Ibrahim & Sukma Darmawan is available online...