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Malaysia appeals court refuses to dismiss sodomy charge against opposition leader

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] A Malaysian appeals court on Wednesday denied a request by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to dismiss the charge of sodomy against him. Anwar was appealing the Malaysian high court's December decision not to dismiss the charge. Anwar is accused of sodomizing his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari, in 2008. He contends the charge is a politically-motivated government conspiracy seeking to undermine his political career. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge. Anwar had previously sought to have the high-profile trial, which began earlier this month, postponed until the court of appeals had made its decision. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. The appeal is only one of numerous attempts by Anwar's defense team to have the trial postponed or dismissed. Last week, the trial was temporarily suspended when Anwar's lawyers sought the removal of high court Judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah for his failure to control prejudicial media coverage. The defense filed an objection asking Mohamad Zabidin to admonish Utusan Malaysia, a government-linked newspaper, for running suggestive headlines and photographs taken during the court's private visit to the scene of the alleged sexual encounter. Mohamad Zabidin denied the request and indicated the defense should file a police complaint against the newspaper instead. Anwar's lawyers are also hoping to have the trial postponed until his appeal of a decision not to grant him access to the prosecution's evidence has been resolved.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on February 17, 2010 (boomark / email).